§ Mr. Dudley Smithasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of sentence served by those persons who have been sentenced to life imprisonment since the end of World War II.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to Questions by my hon. Friends the Members for Twickenham (Mr. Gresham Cooke) and Tynemouth (Dame Irene Ward) on 16th February.
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§ Mr. Dudley Smithasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been sentenced to be detained during the Sovereign's Pleasure since the end of World War II; how many have subsequently been released; and what is the average length of the terms they served.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerDuring the period from 1946 to 1960 24 persons were sentenced to be detained during Her Majesty's Pleasure, having been found guilty of an offence of murder committed when they were under the age of 18. Thirteen of them have since been released on licence. The period of detention varied, according to the circumstances of the case, from 5 years to 10 years. The average was a little over 8 years.
§ Mr. Dudley Smithasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been sentenced to life imprisonment since 1st January, 1951; and how many of that number have been released to date.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerDuring the period from 1951 to 1960 159 persons were sentenced to life imprisonment; 3 of them have been released on licence. In addition, 99 persons who were sentenced to death had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment; 19 of them have been released on licence.
§ Mr. Dudley Smithasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons, sentenced to life imprisonment, or to be detained during the Sovereign's Pleasure since the end of World War II, have subsequently been convicted of other criminal offences.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerSeven, including three convicted of offences not involving violence for which no prison sentence was imposed.