§ 32. Mr. GRENFELLasked the Home Secretary the conditions for the appointment of prison chaplaincies in Wales; and whether, in virtue of the Act of Disestablishment, these appointments have been accessible on equal terms to all religious denominations?
§ Sir J. SIMONAt neither of the two prisons in Wales is there a whole-time chaplain. In each case a local clergyman of the Church in Wales has been appointed as part-time chaplain for those prisoners who declare themselves members of the Church of England or the Church in Wales. Arrangements are also made for Ministers of other denominations to minister to those prisoners who describe themselves as Roman Catholics or adherents of one of the Free Churches.
§ Mr. GRENFELLWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether application has been made to him with a view to securing equality of treatment by the Free Churches in Wales, and whether, if he gets evidence of the existence of a substantial volume of public support for a change, he will recommend a change in the law?
§ Sir J. SIMONIt is a statutory requirement that there should be a clergyman of the Church of England or of the Church of Wales, as the case may be, appointed. I will certainly consider the point he has put, but perhaps I may say that the statistics show that the majority of people in prison in Wales are members of the Church of England.