§ Mr. Meacherasked the Solicitor-General for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the name of every person who has died from natural causes and as a result of suicide while detained in police custody in Scotland since 1970, with in each case the date of death, the name of the police station where the death occurred and the cause of death as stated on the death certificate.
The Solicitor-General for Scotland: As I have already stated, I do not have statistical information prior to 15 May 1975. In terms of section 1(i)(a) of the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1976, a public inquiry is
(a) 48 deaths in to to. (b) 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 Central Scotland … … … … — — — — 1 Dumfries and Galloway … … … — — — — — Fife … … … … … … — — — 1 — Grampian … … … … … — — 2 — — Lothian and Borders … … … … 2 4 2 5 1 Northern … … … … … — — — — 1 Strathclyde … … … … … 1 7 7 10 2 Tayside … … … … … … — 1 — 1 — This varies slightly from the answer given to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 14 December 1979. It is not easy to definitely categorise causes of death and they are often multiple. Alcohol is a frequent factor, whether major or minor. The figures are based on the view that where it is a major factor the death is non-natural but heart disease deaths and soon have been counted as natural. Similarly, it is sometimes not easy to judge whether a death was suicidal or accidental. Such a table, therefore, depends on subjective judgments.
In Scotland, all such deaths are the subject of an inquiry under the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1976. The sheriff is
424Wheld into all deaths of persons in legal custody, which includes police custody. The inquiry is held before the appropriate sheriff, who is obliged to make a determination setting out inter alia the cause of death.
These deaths have received publicity in this way and their cause in each case is public knowledge. In cases of suicide this publicity causes especial distress to the relatives and friends of the deceased. I do not intend to cause further distress by publishing now in the Official Report the name of every person who has died from suicide while detained in police custody. The same consideration applies to deaths from natural causes. I will write to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. Maxtonasked the Solicitor-General for Scotland if he will give the statistics for the number of people who have died in police custody in Scotland since 1970–71 (a) in Scotland as a whole and (b) by police force area, and what was the cause of death in each case.
§ The Solicitor-General for ScotlandI do not have the figures prior to 15 May 1975 but the figures from that date are as follows:
obliged to state the cause of death in his determination.—[Vol. 975, c. 783–84.]