§ MR. FLOWERI beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the statement contained in the last annual Report of the Visiting Justices of Manchester Prison, to the effect that the bread provided during part of last year was of an inferior quality, being tasteless and chaffy, and its ultimate effect prejudicial to the health of the prisoners; if the contractor for such bread has been notified by the Prison Commissioners that his contract must be determined; and, if so, whether the declaration on page 314 of the last annual Report of the Prison Commissioners that the diet of Manchester has not been sufficient and of good quality is, in respect of the bread supplied, well-founded or not?
§ MR. COLLINGSThe Secretary of State is not aware what is the report referred to. In the Visiting Com- 269 mittees Report for 1898 they stated that the provisions were of good quality. It appears that in 1897 they had occasion to call attention to the bad quality of wheat supplied to the prison, and steps were at once taken to put the matter right.
§ MR. FLOWERBut is it not the fact that the Visiting Justices did complain of the quality of the bread?
§ MR. COLLINGSThat was in the Report for the year 1897. In 1898 it was said in the Report that the provisions were of good quality.