HC Deb 13 February 1992 vol 203 cc582-3W
Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many 15-year-old boys and girls in prison received a punishment for a disciplinary offence in 1990 and in 1991; and for what offences they were punished.

Mrs. Rumbold

The age of prisoners punished for a disciplinary offence was not recorded centrally up to 1990. Such information will be available for 1991 but the data will not be complete until the second half of this year.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many 15-year-old prisoners have been held in police or court cells in 1991; and in which ones they have been held.

Mrs. Rumbold

Information on the total number and location of 15-year-old prisoners held in police cells is not collected centrally. When a 15-year-old prisoner is received into police cells the police inform the local liaison governor and priority arrangements are set in hand for the prisoner to be transferred immediately to a prison service establishment.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in which prisons 15-year-old girls were held in 1990 and in 1991.

Mrs. Rumbold

According to the records held centrally, 11 girls aged 15 were received into prison service establishments in England and Wales in 1990 and all were held only under sentence. They were initially received into Holloway prison, New Hall prison or young offender institution or Risley prison or remand centre. One girl was recorded as having been held subsequently in Askham Grange prison but information about all such transfers was not retained centrally. Data for 1991 are not yet complete.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many 15-year-old girls were received into prison in each year of the past decade; for what offences they were convicted, and how long were the prison sentences.

Mr. Rumbold

The number of 15-year-old females received under sentence is published annually in "Prison Statistics England and Wales"—table 3.10 of the volume for 1989, Cm. 1221—copies of which are in the Library.

Females aged 15 received under sentence: by offence, 1981–1990
Persons
Offence 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990
Violence against the person 6 2 11 7 8 8 9 7 3
Sexual offences
Burglary 4 9 10 11 7 3 5 2 1
Robbery 2 2 2 4 4 3 2 4 3 4
Theft and handling 6 3 4 10 7 4 4 10 4
Fraud and forgery 1 1 2
Drugs offences
Other 3 4 4 3 3 5 2
Not recorded 4
All Offences 18 16 31 37 32 18 23 26 15 11

Females aged 15 received under sentence: by length of sentence, 1981–1990
Persons
Length of sentence 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990
Up to 3 months 1
Over 3 months up to 6 months 19 35 24 15 17 19 10 5
Over 6 months up to 12 months 6 2 5 1 6 4 2 3
Over 12 months up to 3 years 1 3 2 1 3 1
Over 3 years 1 2
Borstal training 17 16 6
All sentences 18 16 31 37 32 18 23 26 15 11