§ LORD STONHAMasked Her Majesty's Government:
To state, for each of the last three years for which figures are available, the number of first offenders who were sentenced to a term of imprisonment.
§ THE MARQUESS OF LOTHIANDuring the years 1959, 1960 and 1961, 5,863, 5,109 and 6,128 first offenders respectively were received into prison under sentences of imprisonment.
Of these, 1,161 persons in 1960 and 1,598 persons in 1961 were committed in default of payment of fines. A corresponding figure for 1959 is not available.
House adjourned at twenty-one minutes past six o'clock.