§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people committed suicide in 2001 within one year of leaving prison in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. [67008]
§ Mr. Hilary BennNo information is held centrally on the suicide of prisoners after release from prison.
However, a recent research study found that during 1996 and 1997, 34 ex-prisoners died from self-inflicted injury whilst receiving statutory post-release supervision by the Probation Service. Data on the number of days between release and self-inflicted death was available for 32 cases: 28 prisoners died within one year of release.
Further details of this research are available in Home Office Research Study 231 which can be found on the Home Office website. Adult prisoners serving custodial sentences of less than 12 months were excluded from this study because they do not receive statutory post-release supervision. Self-inflicted death includes all verdicts of suicide, death by misadventure, accidental deaths and open verdicts.
§ Mr. HancockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response he has made to the Howard League's recent report on suicide following prison release; and if he will make a statement. [67015]
§ Mr. Hilary BennThe Government welcomes this report for the attention it rightly gives to the issue of suicide prevention. The National Probation Service is using it to inform the work it is doing in this area, which includes commissioning more detailed research into deaths in approved premises and the preparation of interim guidance on the reporting of and prevention of deaths.
The National Probation Service is also working with the Prison Service to improve arrangements for the release of prisoners into approved premises. Consideration is also being given to how investigations into deaths in custody and in approved hostels may be strengthened.