HC Deb 28 June 1973 vol 858 c380W
Mr. Edward Taylor

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average prison sentence served by persons released from prison in 1972 after serving life sentences.

Mr. Carlisle

The average time served by persons released on licence from sentences of life imprisonment in England and Wales during 1972 was 9.4 years. This figure is no indication of the time likely to be served by any individual life sentence prisoner, since it does not show the range of the sentences served. Nor does it take into account the length of time served by those who have not been released.