The general superintendence of prisons under this Act shall be vested in the Prison Commissioners, subject to the control of the Secretary of State.
The Secretary of State shall appoint the governors, matrons, and medical officers of prisons, such medical officers being medical practitioners duly registered under the Medical Act, and any Acts amending the same; and he shall also appoint to each prison a chaplain being a minister or licentiate of the Church of Scotland.
Subject as in this Act mentioned, the Prison Commissioners shall appoint all other officers in prisons (herein-after called subordinate officers), such appointments to be for general prison service.
The Prison Commissioners shall also make contracts, and do all other acts necessary for the maintenance of the prisons and prisoners within their jurisdiction. The Prison Commissioners shall have such office accommodation as the Secretary of State may, with the consent of the Treasury, determine.
Subject to the control of the Secretary of State, the Prison Commissioners, by themselves or their officers, shall visit and inspect the prisons within their jurisdiction, and shall examine into the state of the buildings, so as to form a judgment as to the repairs, additions or alterations which may appear necessary, regard being had to the arrangements requisite for the separation of prisoners and enforcement of hard labour, and shall further examine into the conduct of the respective officers and the treatment and conduct of the prisoners, the means of setting them to work, the amount of their earnings, and the expenses attending the prison, and shall inquire into all abuses within the prison, and regulate all matters required to be regulated by them.
Subject to the control of the Secretary of State, the Prison Commissioners, or any one or more of them, may, in addition to any powers otherwise conferred on them by this Act, exercise in relation to any prison under this Act, and the prisoners therein, all powers and jurisdiction by any Act of Parliament, or by any rules duly made in pursuance thereof, exerciseable by the prison authority of a prison. And any reports, acts, or things required to be made or done to or by or in relation to the prison authority of a prison by any Act of Parliament, or by any such rules, shall, except in so far as is otherwise provided by this Act, be made or done to or by or in relation to the Prison Commissioners, or any one or more of them, or to or by or in relation to such persons or person as the Secretary of State may from time to time appoint.
The Prison Commissioners shall, in the exercise of their powers and jurisdiction under this Act, conform to any directions which may from time to time be given to them by the Secretary of State.