§ Mr. StinchcombeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the offences for which(a) men and (b) women are serving life sentences in England and Wales; and how many are serving such sentences for each offence. [34592]
§ Beverley HughesThe number of men and women serving life sentences in England and Wales at 31 December 2001 and the offences for which they were sentenced are shown in the table.
Offence Males Females Murder 3,399 125 Other homicide and attempted homicide 122 7 Manslaughter 159 6 Rape 468 0 Wounding 265 6 Arson 94 16 Buggery and indecent behaviour between males 36 0 Other sexual offences 12 0 Gross indecency with children 2 0 Kidnapping 22 0 Robbery 124 0 Other offences of violence against the person 68 0 Drug offences 4 0 Burglary 12 0 Affray 2 0 Other thefts 2 0 Threatening/disorderly behaviour 1 0 Cruelty to children 1 0 Other criminal offences 25 0 Offence not recorded 5 0 Total number of inmates 4,823 160
§ Mr. StinchcombeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women are serving(a) mandatory and (b) discretionary life sentences in England and Wales for non-homicide offences. [34594]
§ Beverley HughesThere were(a) 125 women serving mandatory life sentences and (b) 35 women serving discretionary life sentences on 31 December 2001.
Under section 2 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 offenders convicted of a second serious sexual or violent offence must be sentenced to life imprisonment. These sentences are known as automatic life sentences. There is currently no centrally held data to differentiate between automatic and discretionary life sentence inmates. Mandatory life sentences are passed for murder only.
§ Mr. StinchcombeTo ask the Secretary of state for the Home Department how many men are serving(a) mandatory and (b) discretionary life sentences in England and Wales for non-homicide. [34595]
Beverley Hughes: There were (a) 3,399 men serving mandatory life sentences and (b) 1,424 men serving discretionary life sentences on 31 December 2001.
905WUnder section 2 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 offenders convicted of a second serious sexual or violent offence must be sentenced to life imprisonment. These sentences are known as automatic life sentences. There is currently no centrally held data to differentiate between automatic and discretionary life sentence inmates. Mandatory life sentences are passed for murder only.