HC Deb 09 September 1942 vol 383 cc178-9W
Mr. Thorne

asked the Home Secretary whether he can state in detail the daily rations for prisoners; whether there is any difference between the short and long-term prisoners; and the total cost per week?

Mr. H. Morrison

Full particulars of the prison diet at convict prisons were given in the OFFICIAL REPORT on 1st July, 1941 [Vol. 372, cols. 1197 to 1200], and there has been no material change since that date; changes in detail are that the daily margarine issue has been reduced from 1.1/7th ounces to 6/7ths of an ounce; the daily cheese issue has been doubled; and there is now a daily issue of cooking fats of 2/7ths of an ounce. The diet at local prisons is the same, except that the daily issues of bread and potatoes are each more by four ounces in convict prisons because of the harder outdoor labour. Apart from this distinction between local and convict prisons, there is no difference between the dietary for prisoners serving long sentences and for those serving short sentences. It is of course open to a prison medical officer to increase the diet in any particular case if he considers such a course necessary. The weekly cost of the dietary at local prisons is 4s. 11d. a head.