HC Deb 20 November 1985 vol 87 cc172-3W
Mr. Welsh

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons suffering from mental illness or from a mental handicap are at present in prison; and how these numbers compare with each of the 10 pre ceding years.

Mr. Mellor

The number of inmates who, in the opinion of prison medical officers, are suffering from mental disorder of a nature or degree which would satisfy th criteria in the Mental Health Act 1959 and 1983 was as follows. There was no census before 1977, and the latest available figures are for 31 March 1985.

Number
30 June 1977 769
30 June 1978 581
30 June 1979 557
30 June 1980 457
30 June 1981 320
31 March 1982* 287
31 March 1983 319
31 March 1984 310
31 March 1985 269
* The census month was changed in this year.

Offences* of violence to prison officers punished in prison department establishments in England and Wales by type of offence and year 1980–84
Number of offences
Offence †1980 1981 1982 1983 1984
Gross personal violence to officer 18 45 126 111 111
Assault on officer 937 959 1,390 1,350 1,302
Total 955 1,004 1,516 1,461 1,413
* Including attempted offences.
† Numbers may have been lower during the POA industrial action.

Awards* of forfeiture of remission to persons in prison department establishments in England and Wales by type of establishment† and year 1980–84
‡Number of awards
Offence 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984
Prison and remand centres 18,912 20,135 21,908 21,962 21,829
Youth custody centres 7,229 12,591
Detention Centres 4,014 4,043 4,265 3,278 2,837
Total 22,926 24,178 26,173 32,469 37,257
* Including prospective, suspended and activated suspended awards.
† Awards of forfeiture of remission were not applicable in borstals.
‡ Within a year, a prisoner may be awarded more than one punishment of forfeiture of remission as a result of separate charge proved.
║ Numbers may have been lower during POA industrial action.