§ 2.35 p.m.
§ LORD AILWYNMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government how many persons have been condemned to death for capital murder in each year since the Homicide Act, 1957, came into operation; how many of these persons were subsequently reprieved and sentenced to life imprisonment or to be detained during Her Majesty's pleasure; how many persons have been convicted each year of non-capital murder and been sentenced to life imprisonment or detention during Her Majesty's pleasure.]
THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (EARL BATHURST)My Lords, from 21st March, 1957, when the Homicide Act came into operation, up to the end of 1957, 5 persons were sentenced to death in Great Britain for capital murder; the sentence on I of these persons was commuted to life imprisonment. During the same period 1 person aged less than eighteen was found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to be detained during Her Majesty's pleasure. The corresponding figures for the calendar year 1958 were 11 sentenced, 4 reprieved and none detained; for 1959 they were 6, 1 and none; and for 1960 they were 11, 5 and 1. From 21st March, 1957, up to the end of 1957, 23 persons were convicted of non-capital murder, all of whom were sentenced to life imprisonment. In the calendar year 1958, 25 persons were convicted of non- 596 capital murder, of whom 24 were sentenced to life imprisonment and 1 (being under the age of eighteen) was sentenced to be detained during Her Majesty's pleasure. In 1959, the corresponding figures were 42, 40 and 2, and in 1960 they were 35, 34 and 1.
§ LORD AILWYNMy Lords, I am much obliged to the noble Earl.