§ 39. Mr. N. Pannellasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults there were on prison officers in England and Wales in 1947, 1957, 1958, and 1959, respectively; and in how many cases corporal punishment was recommended, and in how many cases it was confirmed in the respective years.
§ Mr. VosperCorporal punishment can only be awarded for a serious assault which leads to a charge of gross personal violence. In 1947, there was 12 such awards of which nine were confirmed. In 1957, there were nine, of which six were confirmed. In 1958, there were four, of which none was confirmed, and, in 1959, 10, of which two were confirmed.
The total number of offences charged as assaults, many of which might be trivial, were, for the years 1957–59, 156, 142 and 213. Comparable information for 1947 is not available.