§ 24. Mr. Hoosonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners currently in Her Majesty's prisons have served a continuous period of 10 years or more; and what proportion of these prisoners were sentenced for offences of murder or manslaughter.
§ Dr. SummerskillOn 31st December 1975, 130 persons in Her Majesty's prisons in England and Wales had been imprisoned for 10 years or more. Of these, 83 per cent. were serving sentences for offences of murder or manslaughter.
§ Mr. HoosonDoes not that answer indicate that, although the surrounding circumstances in cases of murder and manslaughter vary a great deal from case to case, in appropriate cases the sentence of life means 10 years or more?
§ Dr. SummerskillOf the 83 per cent. of people who spent 10 years or more in prison, 89 were serving sentences for murder and 18 for manslaughter. The remaining 17 per cent. were serving sentences for other offences.