§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were sentenced to a prison term of less than three months in the most recent six-month period for which figures are available and for the same period 12 months earlier.
§ Mr. MellorInformation on the length of principal sentences of immediate imprisonment imposed by magistrates' courts for all types of offence for the years 1980 and 1981 is published in table 7.17 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1981" (Cmnd. 8668). Corresponding information for the Crown court is readily available only for males. A principal sentence of immediate imprisonment of three months or less was imposed by the Crown court on 3,000 males in 1980 and 3,800 in 1981. Information for 1982 is not yet available.