HC Deb 08 December 1978 vol 959 cc819-22W
Mr. Litterick

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people were remanded in custody by the courts in the following cities during each of the last three complete years for which figures are available; and what proportion of the total number of people charged this represents: Birmingham, Bristol, Coventry, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield;

(2) how many people remanded in custody in the following cities during the latest 12-month period for which this information is available were subsequently acquitted of the charges brought against them or given prison sentences of shorter duration than the time they had already spent in custody; and what proportion of the total number of custodial remand prisoners tried during that year in each of these cities, respectively, this represents: Birmingham, Bristol, Coventry, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield.

(3) if he will publish in the Official Report a list of all sentences imposed by courts in the following cities on persons in custodial remand, together with the period of remand imprisonment served in each case up to the date of sentencing, during the latest 12-month period for which figures are available: Birmingham, Bristol, Coventry, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield.

Mr. John,

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 29th November 1978; Vol. 959, c. 209], gave the following answer:

The full information requested is not available.

The following table summarises the information which is readily available on those people known to have been remanded in 1977 in the metropolitan districts of Birmingham, Coventry, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield and in the cities of Bristol and Leicester to await trial by courts in custody. For 13 per cent. of all such remands in England and Wales, the place of remand is not available and so these data are incomplete. The proportion of those cases for which data are available where the result was a finding of not guilty or a prison sentence shorter than the time spent on remand was 7 per cent. in Liverpool, 6 per cent. in Manchester, 5 per cent. in Birmingham and Bristol, 4 per cent. in Leeds and Newcastle, 3 per cent. in Sheffield, 2 per cent. in Leicester and less than ½ per cent. in Coventry.

This information on persons known to have been remanded in custody is not directly comparable with the information available on persons charged in court with offences, there being differences of coverage and timing, and so the proportions of those charged who are remanded are not available.

PERSONS KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN REMANDED IN CUSTODY IN CERTAIN CITIES IN 1977: BY TIME ON REMAND AND ULTIMATE DISPOSAL
Time on remand Court disposal
Custodial Non-custodial
Number known to have been remanded in custody Not known Up to and including 3 months Over 3 months up to and including 6 months Over 6 months up to and including 9 months Over 9 months Not guilty Freed on rising(2) Other Suspended sentence Fine Probation supervision Other(3)
Birmingham 1,628 21 1,439 126 27 15 74 8 785 196 301 104 160
Bristol 533 3 500 25 5 19 5 287 63 36 49 74
Coventry 225 213 10 2 1 156 19 10 20 19
Leeds 956 14 859 70 12 1 37 6 570 89 60 63 131
Leicester 423 2 386 35 7 262 37 34 27 56
Liverpool 932 181 701 41 7 2 59 4 437 61 65 44 262
Manchester 826 91 642 77 11 5 36 4 570 47 21 13 135
Newcastle 555 530 19 4 2 22 1 264 59 56 42 111
Sheffield 392 3 364 23 2 12 1 250 33 17 39 40
(1) For 13 per cent, of remands in England and Wales data on the city of remand and disposal are not available,The recording of cases which receive custodia sentences is more comprehensive than that of other cases.
(2) Those freed on rising received custodial sentences equal to or less than their time on remand in custody.
(3) Care order, hospital order, discharge, attendance centre order, community service order or otherwise dealt with.