§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the average daily prison population in Scotland in each of the past five years; what percentage rise this represents; and how this compares with the percentage rise in the Scottish population overall.
§ Mr. RifkindThe average daily numbers in Scottish penal establishments, including establishments for young offenders, in the last five years were as follows:
1975 … … 4,951 1976 … … 4,884 1977 … … 4,871 1978 … … 5,062 1979 … … 4,579 The numbers for 1979 are abnormally low as a result of the industrial action by courts staff in that year. The numbers for 1978 represent a 2.2 per cent.
180WDevelopment Department, (b) the Scottish Education Department, (c) the Scottish Home and Health Department and (d) the Scottish Economic Planning Department employed outwith Edinburgh; and if he will list the towns and cities in which they are employed.
§ Mr. YoungerThe number of civil servants employed in towns and cities outside Edinburgh for the Departments concerned excluding the prison service and the State hospital, were as follows at 1 March 1980:
increase on those for 1975; in that period the Scottish population decreased by 0.5 per cent.