§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they are prepared to make payments to the authorities of the non-Christian faiths, to cover the administrative work involved in appointment of visiting ministers, and in dealing with the prison authorities at local, regional and central level on matters concerning prisoners belonging to their faiths, the provision of suitable accommodation for use in their meetings, questions of diet and other necessary observances of their faiths, the individual and collective use of religious objects, the preparation of reports and other matters; and if so, whether they will invite representatives of the non-Christian faiths to a preliminary meeting, to discuss how these payments should be determined.
24WA
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Blatch)Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter to Lord Avebury from the Director General of the Prison Service, Mr. Richard Tilt, dated 10th July 1996.
Lady Blatch has asked me to reply to your recent Question about payment for the advice of the authorities of the non Christian faiths on various matters relating to those faiths.
The question of payment to the central authorities for the helpful advice which they provide is under consideration. Future consultation will, if required, involve representatives of non-Christian faiths.