HC Deb 11 July 1978 vol 953 cc491-2W
Mr. Ron Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children are in Her Majesty's prisons at the present time with their mothers who are on remand.

Dr. Summerskill

One.

Mr. Ron Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a frequency distribution indicating the offences committed and the sentences imposed on mothers who are at present in Her Majesty's prisons with their children.

Dr. Summerskill

The 24 women were sentenced as follows:

Offence and Length of Sentence

  • Drug offences (4)—7 years; 4 years; 2 years; 15 months.
  • Theft (8)—2 years; 21 months; 18 months (2); 15 months (2); 12 months; 6 months.
  • Robbery (3)—4 years; 3 years; 18 months.
  • Burglary (4)—45 months; 3 years; 18 months; 12 months.
  • Deception (2)—18 months (2).
  • Conspiring to defraud—18 months.
  • Conspiring to steal—4 years.
  • Criminal damage—30 months.

The 12 borstal trainees who had babies with them were sentenced for theft (5); burglary (4); handling stolen goods (1); robbery (1); and wounding (1).

Mr. Ron Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children are in Her Majesty's prisons at the present time with their mothers who are serving prison sentences.

Dr. Summerskill

Twenty-four. There are in addition 12 babies with their mothers who are serving sentences of borstal training.