HL Deb 19 July 1995 vol 566 cc36-8WA
Baroness David

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many (a) male and (b) female unconvicted and unsentenced prisoners were received into custody in 1994, and what number and proportion were found not guilty, received non-custodial sentences and were sentenced to custody respectively.

Baroness Blatch

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter to Baroness David from the Director General of the Prison Service, Mr. Derek Lewis, dated 19/7/95.

Lady Blatch has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking for information on the number of receptions of unconvicted and unsentenced prisoners in 1994 and the outcome of the cases at court.

In 1994, provisional figures show that 64,295 males and 3,683 females were received into Prison Service establishments either as an unconvicted prisoner or an unsentenced prisoner or as both. Information is not yet available on the court decisions for these prisoners. Information for 1993 is published in Tables 2.5 and 2.6 of Prison Statistics England and Wales 1993, an extract of which is attached.

Table 2.5
Receptions1 into Prison Service establishments of untried and convicted unsentenced prisoners: by outcome of court proceedings2 and sex,

1983–93
England and Wales
Males and females Number of persons
Type of prison and disposal 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993
Proportion of remand prisoners subsequently received under sentence
All remand 33 34 36 37 36 34 29 26 27 28 27
Untried 35 36 37 38 37 35 29 26 27 29 25
Convicted unsentenced 33 33 37 41 35 36 33 28 36 35 39
1 The figures for "all remand" record once only a person received as an untried prisoner who is subsequently received also as a convicted unsentenced prisoner. Figures relate to all remand receptions during the calendar year, whether or not disposed of during the year.
2 The numbers shown with disposal "other outcome" include disposal not recorded the great majority of whom will not have received a custodial sentence. Includes a small number sentenced to custody but released from court because of length of time served on remand.

Table 2.6
Final court outcome for persons remanded in custody at some stage in magistrates' court proceedings1 1991, 1992 and 1993

England and Wales
Estimated percentages
Final court outcomes2 Males Females
1991 1992 1993 1991 1992 1993
Acquitted not proceeded with etc 19 21 22 22 20 21
Non-custodial sentence 38 38 36 52 54 53
Community sentence3 18 18 20 21 23 26
Fine 8 8 7 10 9 10
Absolute or conditional discharge 5 6 6 12 14 12
Other non-custodial sentence 7 6 3 10 9 5
Custodial sentence4 43 41 42 26 26 26
Total 100 100 100 100 100 100
Source: Criminal Statistics England and Wales, 1993.
1 Includes persons remanded in custody by magistrates during proceedings or on committal.
2 Includes estimated outcome at the Crown Court for those committed for trial or sentence.
3 Includes CSO, probation, supervision orders, attendance centre orders.
4 Proportion differs slightly from more reliable estimate in Table 2.5, see paragraph 2.7.