HC Deb 30 October 1947 vol 443 cc121-2W
140. Mr. E. P. Smith

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the calorific value of the daily food supplied in jails and workhouses in Great Britain in 1938 and 1947, respectively.

Mr. Ede

As regards workhouses, the question is one for my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Health. The answer as regards prisons and Borstal Institutions contains a number of figures and I will circulate the answer in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the answer

In 1938 the diet for men in prisons contained from 2,994 and 4,200 calories per diem, and for women from 2,542 to 2,901 calories per diem, depending in both cases on the form of labour at which the prisoners were employed and the length of their sentence.

At Borstal institutions for boys the diet contained 3,775 calories per diem, and at Borstal institutions for girls 2,669 calories per diem.

In 1947 the diet for male prisoners contained from 2,923 to 2,955 calories per diem, and for women 2,541 to 2,605.

The diet for male young prisoners contained from 2,987 to 3,051 calories, and for female young prisoners 2,521 to 2,585 calorics per diem.

At Borstal institutions for boys the diet contained 3,261 to 3,389 calories per diem, and at Borstal institutions for girls 3,095 to 3,223 calories per diem.