HC Deb 19 July 1985 vol 83 c291W
Mr. Tom Cox

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of suicides of (a) men and (b) women in prisons in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.

Mr. Mellor

The number of prisoners who died in Prison Department custody in England and Wales and upon whom a verdict of suicide was passed is as follows:

Number
1980 21
1981 16
1982 *18
1983 †21
1984 †23
* Including one person who died while on bail not having recovered from an attempt to commit suicide while in prison custody.
Including in each year one prisoner who died in an outside hospital following a suicide attempt made before his reception into prison custody.

All were males.

I regret that the figures given in a reply to a question from my hon. Friend, the Member for Leicester East (Mr. Bruinvels), on 18 June, at column 89, were incorrect.