§ Captain CAZALETasked the Home Secretary how many convicts at His Majesty's Convict Prison, Parkhurst, are blind or so nearly blind as to be unable to read ordinary printed books; whether these men are provided with Bibles or any other literature in Braille; what occupation is provided for them during working hours and during the time spent in their cells; and whether any of these men have not attended lectures or concerts during the past three months?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThere are three such convicts at Parkhurst. The National Library for the Blind kindly arranges to supply to any prison books for those prisoners who can read Braille or Moon type, and in pursuance of this arrangement a supply of books is always available for these convicts. There is also a Moon type Bible supplied by the Stationery Office. The chief occupation of these convicts is knitting. It is the practice at Parkhurst to give all blind convicts facilities to attend lectures and concerts if they wish, and all three men have attended lectures and concerts during the past three months.
§ Captain CAZALETasked the Home Secretary what arrangements have been made, or are contemplated, at His Majesty's Convict Prison, Parkhurst, for Christmas Day and Boxing Day; and how many hours will the convicts spend alone in their cells on those two days?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSOn Christmas Day there will be Divine Service in the morning and special Christmas services in the afternoon. There will also be arrangements, similar to those which are usually followed on Sundays, for periods of exercise and for periods of association among those convicts who are eligible for association at meals, and for smoking—the effect being that in the course of the 24 hours a convict entitled to stage privileges will spend 14 hours 40 minutes in his cell and a convict not3264W so entitled will spend in his cell 17 hours 40 minutes. On Boxing Day the convicts will be at work in the morning, in the afternoon there will be a concert and a period for exercise, and in the evening a magic lantern lecture. On this day, out of the 24 hours a convict entitled to stage privileges will spend 14 hours 5 minutes in his cell and a convict not so entitled will spend in his cell 16 hours 50 minutes. The hours spent in the cell include of course the night period.