§ Mr. MESSERasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that, under the new bell scale to regulate the duties of the prison staff about to be put into operation, an officer may have to attend twice at the prison for duty in the course of a normal period of eight hours per day; and whether what is known as the split-shift will be avoided?
§ Sir J. SIMONAs the result of an extension of the period for which prisoners work in association new timetables for the prison staffs have been introduced at five prisons and will shortly be introduced at seven more. Under those already in force there is no break in an officer's tour of duty apart from the usual intervals for meals and the others will be similarly adjusted. I may add that in all cases the new timetables have been fully discussed with the staffs before being settled.