§ Mr. KINGasked the Secretary for Scotland what is the practice with respect to the supply of Bibles to persons in Scotland undergoing penal servitude or imprisonment, or detained as habitual 280W criminals, or in institutions corresponding the Borstal institutions?
Mr. McKINNON WOODA prison rule provides that each prisoner shall be furnished with a Bible and Prayer-book, such as is approved for the denomination to which he belongs. This rule applies to all the classes referred to in the question.
§ Mr. KINGlikewise asked whether the Local Government Board for Scotland will require parish councils to supply copies of the Bible to all the older children in Poor Law schools, not being either Roman Catholics or Jews, as their own personal property?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThe Scottish practice is not to send pauper children to Poor Law schools, but to keep them in institutions for the shortest period possible, and while there to send them to the local board schools, in which case they will have a Bible as one of their school books.
§ Mr. KINGnext asked whether the Local Government Board for Scotland have power to require parish councils to supply to all inmates of poor houses or Poor Law infirmaries copies of the Bible if such inmates so desire; and, if so, whether the Board will exercise that power?
Mr. McKINNON WOODI am not aware that the Board have any such power, but there are chaplains in connection with all such institutions, and I am advised that there is no reason to doubt that any requests they put forward for supplies of Bibles are complied with.