HL Deb 10 April 1963 vol 248 cc1094-6WA
LORD STONHAM

asked Her Majesty's Government:

To state in detail the quantities and wholesale prices paid for a prisoner's food totalling an average thirteen shillings per week and the retail prices showing that the same food in the shops costs thirty shillings and fourpence.

THE MINISTER OF STATE, HOME OFFICE (EARL JELLICOE)

The appended table shows the items of food supplied in local prisons for men, and the quantity of each item supplied per head per week.

I regret that it is not possible to give the cost to the Department of individual items (except fresh meat and fresh fruit, where the ration is itself expressed in terms of price) as it would be contrary to practice to disclose individual contract prices. Nor would it be realistic to give the retail price of individual items because of variations in retail prices. A costing carried out on February 27 showed that, on the information then available, the cost at retail prices of the weekly ration was approximately £1 10s. 10d.

Item Weekly ration
Bacon 5 oz.
Barley 1½ oz.
Beans 4 oz.
Bread 7 lb.
Cabbage 1½ lb.
Carrots 10 oz.
Cheese 4 oz.
Cocoa 1⅝ oz.
Custard Powder ½ oz.
Dripping 4½ oz.
Fish 1 lb.
Flour 1 lb.
Fruit (fresh) 4d. worth*
Fruit (dried) 4 oz.
Jam 3 oz.
Margarine 8¾ oz.
Marmalade 1 oz.
Meat (fresh) 1s. 10d. worth*
Meat (preserved) 2 oz.
Milk 3 pints
Oatmeal 10½ oz.
Onions 3 oz.
Peas (marrowfat) 3½ oz.
Peas (split) 1½oz.
Potatoes 7 lb.
Rice 1 oz.
Root vegetables 4 oz.
Sausagemeat 6 oz.
Seasoning, etc. as required
Semolina 2 oz.
Sugar 1 lb.
Syrup 2 oz.
Tea 2 oz.
* Cost to Department.

House adjourned at five minutes past nine o'clock.