§ Ms. Harmanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what financial resources are allocated to make provision for copies of the Bible to be made available for each prison inmate who requests one during the financial year 1987–88;
(2) what steps have been taken to ensure that sufficient funds are available to supply copies of the Bible to all prison inmates who request one during the remaining months of the current financial year;
(3) whether copies of the Bible are freely given to all prison inmates if they make such a request of the prison chaplain.
§ Mr. MellorA copy of the Bible is normally made available to any inmate who asks for it for the period of his stay in prison. Earlier in the year reserve stocks of new Bibles became exhausted, but funds have now been made available to purchase additional Bibles and distribute them to establishments before the end of the financial year. Financial allocations for 1987–88 have not yet been approved.