Prisoners
Justice
Written answers and statements, 14 September 2009
Simon Burns (Whip, Whips; West Chelmsford, Conservative)
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average daily allocation of funding is for food for a prisoner in England.
Jack Straw (Lord Chancellor, Ministry of Justice; Blackburn, Labour)
For the current financial year the National Offender Management Service introduced a maximum benchmark of £2.10 per prisoner per day. Many establishments already operate below this level and provide good quality food. Those operating above the benchmark are working towards reducing their costs with appropriate central support.
Evidence and experience has proven that acceptable healthy meals can be provided in prisons within this level of funding by carefully managing menu content and utilising key messages from the Department of Health in regard to promoting a healthy diet.