§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in the light of the low level of wages paid to non-industrial cleaners in his Department, if he will reduce the £112 per week costs of keeping a prisoner in prison and reallocate the money to improve the wages of the cleaners.
§ Mr. Merlyn ReesA significant reduction in the cost of running the prison service could be achieved only by a substantial and sustained reduction in the prison population which would permit the closure of a number of establisments with a consequent saving in staff costs.