§ Mr. Dubsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances and by what authority prisoners are required to pay for table salt; if he will list the prison department establishments to which this applies; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorNo prisoner is required to pay for table salt. As part of a review last year of dietary scales for prison inmates salt was made a scaled item for provision purposes instead of being issued without limit as in the past. The object of the change was to ensure that the intake of salt as part of the diet would not significantly exceed a level which modern nutritional authorities regard as acceptable for the maintenance of good health. However, salt is available for prisoners to add to food. Objections have been raised by inmates in some establishments to the reduced level of provision and at one establishment the governor made salt available for purchase from the prison canteen. This arrangement has now ceased. In view of the objections by inmates the prison medical authorities have been asked to re-examine the scale of provision with a view to providing more salt in the diet without the risk of adversely affecting health.