§ 23. Mr. EDEasked the Home Secretary how many persons in England and Wales serving commuted death sentences were released from prison during the five years ended 1925; and what percentage of such persons have subsequently committed further criminal offences?
§ Mr. CLYNESThe number released during the years 1921 to 1925 inclusive was 48. Without detailed inquiry, which has been impossible in the time available, I cannot say with certainty whether any of them have since been convicted.
§ 24. Mr. EDEasked the Home Secretary how many persons confined in Broadmoor criminal lunatic asylum, after having been found guilty of murder but insane in England and Wales, were released during the 10 years 1921 to 1930?
§ Mr. CLYNESThe number was 80, of whom 34 were males and 46 females.
§ 29. Mr. W. J. BROWNasked the Home Secretary how many persons serving-commuted death sentences in England and Wales have been released during the last 20 years; and how many of such persons have committed further murders after their release?
§ Mr. CLYNESI can only give figures for the 10 years from 1920 to 1929. The number was 87. So far as is known, none of them has committed a further murder.
§ Mr. BROWNIn view of the experience revealed by the reply to this question can the Home Secretary make arrangements or representations to the Prime Minister in order to give the House an early opportunity of discussing a resolution which the Select Committee on Capital Punishment recommended that we should discuss?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat matter does not arise out of the question.
§ Mr. CULVERWELLCan the right hon. Gentleman say what relevance this has to the question of the abolition of capital punishment?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is more a subject for debate.
§ 32. Mr. WHITEasked the Home Secretary how many persons in England and Wales have been sentenced to death for murder during the 10 years ending 1929; and how many of such persons had been previously convicted once, how many twice, and how many more than twice for criminal offences?
§ 34. Mr. BROADasked the Home Secretary what percentage: of persons sentenced to death for murder in England and Wales during the last 10 years had not been previously convicted of any other offence?
§ Mr. CLYNESThe number of persons sentenced to death in the 10 years from 1920 to 1929 was 234, and in the 10 years from 1921 to 1930 was 213. Figures are not available which would enable me to state the number or percentage of these persons who had previously been convicted.
§ 33. Mr. WHITEasked the Home Secretary how many women proceeded against for murder in England and Wales during the five years 1925–29 were sentenced to death; how many were found guilty but insane; how many were found insane before trial or on arraignment; how many were found guilty of lesser offences; and how many of those sentenced to death were subsequently executed?
§ Mr. CLYNESDuring the years in question eight women were sentenced to death; 35 charged with murder were found guilty but insane; three were found insane before trial and 24 insane on arraignment. Of those sentenced to death one was executed. I regret that figures are not available to show how many proceeded against for murder were found guilty of lesser offences.
§ 28. Mrs. MANNINGasked the Home Secretary how many persons found guilty of murder in England and Wales have been recommended to mercy by the jury in each of the years 1925 to 1929; how many of such persons have been reprieved; and how many have been executed?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Short)With my hon. Friend's permission
| CAPITAL CASES: Recommendations to mercy during the years 1925–1929, and Home Office action thereon. | |||||||
| Year. | Recommendations to mercy. | Executed despite Recommendation. | Reprieved. | Removed to Broadmoor. | |||
| 1925 | … | … | … | 9 | 3 | 6 | — |
| 1926 | … | … | … | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| 1927 | … | … | … | 6 | — | 5 | 1 |
| 1928 | … | … | … | 7 | 3 | 4 | — |
| 1929 | … | … | … | 5 | 1 | 4 | — |
| Total | … | … | 36 | 11 | 23 | 2 |