§ Mr. FREDERICK WHYTEasked the Lord Advocate whether the chaplaincies of His Majesty's prisons in Scotland can be held by clergymen of any denomination; and whether, if clergymen of the non-established churches are not legally eligible for these positions, he is prepared to remove the disability?
§ The LORD ADVOCATE (Mr. Ure)The statutory requirement is that to each prison there must be appointed a chaplain being a minister or licentiate of the Church of Scotland. Where, however, the number of prisoners belonging to some church or religious persuasion differing from the Church of Scotland is so great as to require the ministrations of a minister of their own church or persuasion, there is power to appoint and pay such a minister, and this provision is carried out in practice. There is no present intention to legislate in the matter.