§ Mr. Donald Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in Scottish prisons are presently serving sentences in excess of six months, three years and 10 years, respectively.
§ Mr. RossThe statistics are not maintained quite in the form requested. The position at 18th February 1969 was as follows:—
Prisoners and inmates of young offenders institutions Sentences of six months and up to three years 1,544 Sentences of over three years and up to ten years 462 Sentences of over ten years 21 Life sentences 120
§ Mr. Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many places are available in Scotland in open prisons; and how many men were in the training for 179W freedom unit at Perth Prison at the latest convenient date.
§ Mr. Ross63 places are available in Penninghame Prison, the only open prison in Scotland. There are at present six prisoners in the training for freedom hostel at Perth Prison.
§ Mr. Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the figure per head of the population spent in Scotland on police and prison services in the last financial year.
§ Mr. Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the ratio of staff to prisoners in Scottish prisons; and what is the figure at Barlinnie, Saughton, Peterhead and Craiginches Prisons, respectively.
§ Mr. RossThe ratio of staff to inmates in Scottish prisons and young offenders institutions is 1 to 3.12; and at particular establishments, as follows:
Barlinnie Prison and Young Offenders Institution 1 to 4.99 Edinburgh Prison 1 to 2.70 Peterhead Prison 1 to 2.37 Aberdeen Prison 1 to 2.75 NOTE. At Barlinnie the staff are common to the prison and the young offenders institution.
§ Mr. Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the capital sum spent on Scottish prisons and penal institutions in the last three financial years and the estimated expenditure in the years 1968–69 and 1969–70.
§ Mr. RossThe figures are as follows:
£ 1965–66 871,900 1966–67 917,652 1967–68 811,182 1968–69 (estimate) 1,062,000 1969–70 (estimate) 888,000
§ Mr. Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons were serving sentences in Scottish prisons at the latest convenient date; and what was the comparable figure three, five and 10 years ago.
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§ Mr. RossOn 31st December, 1968 there were in Scotland 3,111 persons serving sentences of imprisonment or detention in a young offenders institution. The comparable figures three, five and ten years previously were 2,246, 2,311 and 1,974.
NOTE.—Persons under 21 who would have been sentenced to imprisonment before January, 1965, are now sent to young offenders institutions.
§ Mr. Dewarasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what he estimates to be the number of prisoners in Scotland presently eligible for parole; how many have been recommended for consideration by the local review committee since the inception of the scheme; and how many have been released on parole during that period.
§ Mr. RossAt present 206 prisoners and young offenders are eligible for consideration for parole. All cases are considered by local review Committees and to date 773 cases have been so considered. 120 of these have been referred to the Parole Board, on whose recommendation 49 have been released and two more will be released shortly.