§ Mr. Redmondasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis the products of prison workshops are costed; what steps are taken to ensure that unfair competition does not result; and to what extent these manufacturers have produced losses or profits up to date.
§ Mr. CarlisleThe general rule is to charge the market price for prison products and avoid taking an undue share of the market for any one product. In addition, the financial returns of prison industries are carefully constructed so as to take full account of the abnormal overhead costs, and the aim is to improve profitability as quickly as possible. The total loss on prison industries has been progressively reduced in recent years and was £320,000 in 1969–70, though this progress180W is threatened by the increase in the prison population which has led to the overmanning of workshops.