§ 28. Mr. Andrew F. Bennettasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the size of the prison population in England and Wales.
§ Mr. WhitelawThe population of prison department establishments on 11 November was 37,796.
350W
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his forecasts of the prison population for each year until 1990 and for the year 2000.
§ Mr. BrittanPrison population projections, which are produced annually for a maximum period of 10 years ahead, are no more than a broad indication of what the population would be if present trends continued, and cannot be regarded as forecasts.
The prison population is affected by many changing factors, for example, sentencing and remand practice. Subject to these qualifications, the latest available figures are as follows:
PROJECTIONS OF AVERAGE DAILY POPULATION OF PRISON DEPARTMENT ESTABLISHMENTS IN ENGLAND AND WALES: 1979–1988 Year Thousands population 1979 42.4 1980 42.8 1981 42.6 1982 42.6 1983 43.3 1984 44.0 1985 44.6 1986 45.4 1987 46.1 1988 46.7