HC Deb 15 April 1937 vol 322 c1166
38. Colonel Ropner

asked the Home Secretary whether any provision is made whereby persons discharged from His Majesty's prisons or reformatory institutions are encouraged to take up agricultural employment?

Sir J. Simon

Of the approved schools for older boys 19 have farms attached and agriculture is one of the main subjects in which vocational training is given. Of the boys who have left such schools in the last three years over 500 have taken up land work. In prisons the opportunities for agricultural training are more restricted, but at the Borstal institutions training in farm work is given to a number of the inmates, and endeavours are made to find for them on discharge work for which they have been trained.

Mr. T. Williams

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that prisoners who have been for any length of time on prison diet would soon get used to lower diet on the countryside?