§ Mr. Wheelerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are serving sentences of imprisonment who were convicted of theft and handling stolen goods, or fraud and forgery, or criminal damage; and what is the average length of sentence and the cost of imprisonment for such a sentence.
§ Mr. HurdThe information available is given in the following table. Average weekly costs for such prisoners are not available separately. However, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question by the hon. Member for Battersea (Mr. Dubs) on 30 June about the average weekly costs of keeping a prisoner in custody in various categories of establishment.—[Vol. 44, c.105.]
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Persons*† serving sentences of immediate imprisonment in prison department establishments in England and Wales on 31 May 1983 for certain offences. Offence type Estimated number* Average length of sentence*‡ Theft and handling stolen goods 5,000 17 months Fraud and forgery 1,200 23 months Criminal damage ║ 300 13 months * The figures are those recorded centrally and are approximate.. † Excluding fine defaulters. ‡ Average effective length of aggregate sentence being served including sentences being served consecutively which may be for other types of offence. ║ Excluding arson.
§ Mr. Wheelerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for the year 1982, how many robberies took place in the Metropolitan police area where a firearm was used; in how many cases the firearm was discharged; in such cases how many innocent persons were injured; and what was the clear-up rate.