§ Lord Robertson of Oakridgeasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many nationals of countries other than the United Kingdom are held, according to the most recent figures, in United Kingdom prisons; and how this figure compares with those of a year earlier.
§ Lord Williams of MostynThe latest available information is for 30 September 1997. On that date there were 5,233 foreign nationals in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales. This compares with 4,768 on 30 September 1996. For both years foreign nationals formed 8.4 per cent. of the total prison population. These figures include those for whom no nationality was recorded (537 on 30 September 1997 and 405 on 30 September 1996).
Information on the prison population by nationality is published in Prison Statistics, England and Wales (Table 9.2 of the 1996 edition, col. 3732), a copy of which is in the Library. Information for Scotland and Northern Ireland is available from the respective Secretaries of State.