§ 66. Mr. KINGasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether facilities are provided weekly for all Irish interned persons who desire to attend Mass in the Roman Catholic chapels to be present at such religious service; whether those in Lincoln Prison have since their internment been prevented on any Sunday from attending Mass; if so, why; and whether in future all Irish Catholics interned will be allowed to attend Mass on days of obligation?
§ Mr. BRACEMy right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. Facilities for attending Mass weekly in the Roman Catholic chapels are provided for all the Irish prisoners interned in this country. Owing to his parochial duties, the priest at Lincoln is not able to say Mass in the prison on Sundays, but it is said on a, week-day. The same difficulty in the way of saying Mass on Sunday occurs at some other places of internment, but the priests will in all cases do their best to provide the necessary ministration.
§ 80. Mr. LOUGHasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to a complaint from Mr. Darrell Figgis, now confined in Durham Prison, that, although he is allowed to receive Irish newspapers, when they arrive they are taken from him to be censored and never returned, so that they do not reach the prisoners, and that his letters from Ireland take a fortnight and three weeks in transmission; and whether he can have these matters put right?
§ Mr. BRACEYes, Sir. There has been some delay, partly delay in the post, but not, I think, so great as suggested in the question. Arrangements have now been made which will expedite the delivery of newspapers, and letters will not be held up longer than one day for their examination by the Censor.