§ 14. Mr. Thomas Coxasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number and the age groups of male prisoners in Her Majesty's Prisons who are permanently detained in prison hospitals.
§ Mr. CarlisleIn August, 1971 there were 62 male prisoners in England and Wales who were located in prison hospitals and appeared likely to remain in them for the remainder of their sentences. I will, with permission, circulate a table of their age groups in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. CoxCan the hon. and learned Gentleman give me some further information as to the kind of thinking in his Department about this and the general overcrowding in so many of our prisons? Is it not time that we considered some alternative form of punishment to prison sentences of less than six months since it is these which contribute to a large percentage of the prison population?
§ Mr. CarlisleWe are giving urgent consideration to possible alternative penalties. My right hon. Friend has said 2065 that he hopes to be able to put forward proposals to the House shortly. As for those who spend their time in prison hospitals, the fact remains that there are some who are sent to prison and for various causes of illness may then have to be transferred to the prison hospital and who then stay there during their period of imprisonment, varying from life in one case to seven days in another.
Following is the table:
Age Number of prisoners Under 21 1 21–30 20 31–40 8 41–50 13 51–60 13 61–70 4 Over 70 3 Total 62