§ Mr. N. MACLEANasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the conditions of service of the Scottish prison officers have been fully assimilated with the conditions obtaining in the English prison service; if he will state the reason why the period of wear of the greatcoats of the Scottish warders was extended two years before the alteration in the English prison service; and is he aware that the Scottish pprison officers have to wear their greatcoats to and from duty in rough weather during the summer and autumn owing to having no light waterproof covering?
§ Sir G. COLLINSAs regards the first and second parts of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to him on 14th March and 30th April last to the effect that the pay and conditions of service in Scotland are generally assimilated to those obtaining in England, though differences in circumstances in certain respects require to be taken into account, and that the period of wear of prison officers' greatcoats in Scotland was extended in 1922 because the greatcoats in general were found to remain serviceable for a longer period. As regards the third part of the question, as explained in the first reply above mentioned, practically every officer in the Scottish Prisons Service is provided with official quarters adjacent to the prison. While an adequate number of waterproof cloaks is maintained for general issue to officers when required, a routine issue of such cloaks in every case is not found necessary; and as the journeys to and from duty are so short, it would not appear that any hardship is suffered, even if greatcoats be worn for such journeys in rough weather.