§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many attacks were perpetrated upon Borstal staff in each year since 1970; and what was the punishment meted out to each offender in each case;
(2) how many attacks were perpetrated upon prison officers in each year since 1970; what was the punishment meted out to each offender in each case; and what was the compensation paid to the injured officer in each case.
§ Mr. WhitelawInformation is not available in the form requested. However, information on the number of inmates dealt with within Department establishments for offences of gross personal violence to an officer is published 143W annually in the publication now entitled "Prison Statistics, England and Wales"—formerly "Report on the work of the Prison Department, Statistical Tables", and previously in "Report on the work of the Prison Department". Tables 9.3 and 9.6 of the volume for 1978—Cmnd. 7626—give the numbers of males and females dealt with in borstals, and tables 9.2 and 9.5 the corresponding numbers dealt with in prisons. Information for 1979 is not yet available.
Information relating these offences to the punishments given is not available. Payments of compensation in appropriate cases are a matter for assessment by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, but the details of assessment in each individual case could be provided only at disproportionate cost.