§ Mr. Holtasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the average figures served for life sentences imposed for offences of murder in the years 1960, 1970, 1975, and each year from 1980 to 1985.
§ Mr. Mellor[pursuant to his reply, 26 February 1987, c. 340]: Information on the number of persons sentenced for murder is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales," supplementary tables volume 2, (in table S2.1(a) under offence classification 1).
The readily available information on time spent under sentence in Prison department establishments is given in the table, which also shows the numbers received in each year who were still in custody on 31 December 1986. The corresponding information for persons received in 1960 is not readily available.