§ Miss McIntoshTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are currently on remand; and what has been the(a) average, (b) median and (c) maximum period for which prisoners have been held on remand in each of the last three years. [75412]
§ Mr. George HowarthProvisional information for 26 February shows that there were 12,627 persons held on remand in prisons in England and Wales. Information on the estimated average number of days in custody for untried and convicted unsentenced prisoners over the last three years is given in table 1. This information is also published in "Prison statistics England and Wales" (table 2.2 of the 1997 edition, Cm 4017), a copy of which is in the Library. Information on the estimated median time in custody is given in table 2. No information is collected centrally regarding the maximum time held on remand.
Table 1: Estimated average time spent in custody for untried and convicted unsentenced persons in prisons in England and Wales,1996–1998 Estimated average number of days in custody1 Year Males Females Untried2 1996 53 41 1997 51 36 19984 47 34 Convicted unsentenced3 1996 34 31 1997 37 30 19981 38 30 1 Estimated from number of receptions and average population 2 Time spent in Prison Service establishments before conviction 3 Time spent in Prison Service establishments after conviction 4 Provisional figures
Table 2: Estimated median for time spent on remand on 30 June 1996–1998 Type of custody/year Estimated median time All untried 30 June 1996 1 month 28 days 30 June 1997 1 month 26 days 30 June 19981 1 month 29 days All convicted unsentenced 30 June 1996 2 months 12 days 30 June 1997 2 months 7 days 30 June 19981 2 months 3 days 1Provisional figures