§ Mrs. Knightasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what statistical basis the Minister of State on 11th May informed a deputation protesting against the proposal to build a remand centre for women at Woodgate Valley, Birmingham, that the numbers of women remanded from the courts were increasing steeply.
§ Mr. JohnAt the meeting on 11th May to which the hon. Member refers my noble Friend drew the delegation's attention to trends in the number of women and girls coming before the courts. In 1966 some 33,565 women were proceeded against at the magistrates' courts. The corresponding total in 1974 was 58,203 and in 1975 was 66,015. The average rate of increase over the period 1966 to 1975 was 8 per cent. per annum and in the period 1974 to 1975 was 13 per cent. per annum.