§ Ms Janet AndersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is his current estimate of the size of the prison population at 31 March 1995; [1688]
(2) how many prisoners he expects to be held in England and Wales by the end of the current financial year. [1694]
§ Miss WiddecombeThe latest projection, produced in October, is for the prison population in England and Wales on 31 March 1996 to be around 53,400. The population was projected from current trends and assumptions but past experience has shown the likelihood of unforeseen departures from the trend.
§ Ms AndersonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what increase in the numbers of prisoners he expects to take place by the end of 1995. [1692]
§ Miss WiddecombeThe latest projection, produced in October, is for the prison population in England and Wales on 31 December 1995 to be around 50,000. This compares with a population of 52,410 on 22 November 1995. The December figure will be depressed in comparison to other months due to the seasonal downturn at the end of the year. The population was projected from current trends and assumptions but past experience has shown the likelihood of unforeseen departures from the trend.