§ 31. Mr. LOVAT-FRASERasked the Home Secretary the number of hours during which it is proposed to lock the prisoners in their cells during the period from mid-day on Saturday, 23rd December, to the morning of Wednesday, 27th December, in the convict prisons of Maidstone, Dartmoor, Parkhurst, Chelmsford, and Aylesbury, respectively, and in the local prisons of England and Wales; and whether any provision is made for concerts, lectures, or other recreation for the prisoners in each of the convict and local prisons during the Christmas holidays?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI cannot state the periods for which it will be necessary to confine prisoners to their cells at each of the 32 establishments. Arrangements over the Christmas week-end will generally be the same as at other weekends except that Christmas Day will be treated as a Sunday. Boxing Day will be treated as an ordinary week-day, subject to such modifications in the afternoon as local conditions may require, including the claims of the prison staff who are entitled to due consideration. Week-end arrangements necessarily vary, according to the circumstances of each establishment, but normally include a period of exercise, or a concert or lecture on the Saturday afternoon; a chapel service and a period of exercise on Sunday morning; and on Sunday afternoon some form of service or rendering of music, with the addition—wherever possible—of a second period of exercise.