HC Deb 23 November 1981 vol 13 cc285-6W
Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unconvicted prisoners on the most recent convenient date had first been received into custody more than 110 days previously.

Mr. Mayhew

It is estimated that on 30 September 1981 there were about 1,000 untried persons held in prison department establishments in England and Wales whose initial date of remand into custody was more than 110 days earlier. Some of them may have spent time on bail during that period.

Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unconvicted prisoners had been awaiting trial for (a) over 12 months, (b) between six and 12 months and (c) between three and six months on the most recent convenient date.

Mr. Mayhew

The only estimates which can be made available without disproportionate cost are in the following table.

Prisoners awaiting trial on 30 September 1981 who were first remanded in custody more than three months earlier: by length of time since first remand in custody
Length of time since first remand in custody* Estimated number of persons
Over three months and up to and including six months 900
Over six months and up to and including 12 months 300
Over 12 months 100
* Including any time which may have been spent on bail.
Rounded estimates: precise figures are not available.

Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were received into prison before trial or sentence in 1980; in how many cases the defendant was subsequently found not guilty or the case was not proceeded with; how many were subsequently given custodial sentences; and how many received non-custodial sentences.

Mr. Mayhew

Information on the number of those received into prison department establishments on remand and their ultimate disposal is published annually in "Prison statistics, England and Wales". Table 2.1 of the volume for 1980, Cmnd. 8372 contains final figures for 1979 and table 2.2 contains provisional figures for 1980.

Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the highest number of unconvicted and unsentenced prisoners on any day in 1981 to date.

Mr. Mayhew

The information available on the total number of untried and convicted unsentenced prisoners in prison department establishments in England and Wales relates to the end of calendar months. The highest such number in 1981 up to the end of September was 7,400 on 30 June.

Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the average daily prison population in 1980 consisted of untried and unconvicted prisoners.

Mr. Mayhew

The percentage requested can be calculated from the information on the average daily population of prison department establishments by type of custody published annually in "Prison statistics England and Wales" table 1.1 of the volume for 1980, Cmnd 8372.

Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unconvicted and unsentenced prisoners were in custody on the most recent convenient date; and what percentage of the total prison population this represents.

Mr. Mayhew

On 30 September 1981, there were 7,300 untried or convicted unsentenced prisoners in prison department establishments in England and Wales, 17 per cent. of the total prison population on that date.