§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of prisoners currently serving more than five years for offences of violence and drug trafficking.
§ Mr. Mellor[pursuant to his reply, 2 April, c. 565]: It is estimated from central records that on 31 January 1985 between 2,000 and 2,500 persons in prison department establishments in England and Wales were serving sentences of more than five years for offences of violence or drug trafficking within the scope of the parole policy announced on 30 November 1983, that is, as defined under section 32 and schedule 1 of the Criminal Justice Act 1982.