HC Deb 24 February 1984 vol 54 cc655-7W
Mr. Soley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the average length of time spent in prison department establishments of persons detained under Immigration Act powers for 1982 and 1983;

(2) what was the average daily prison population during 1982 and 1983 of persons detained under Immigration Act powers.

Mr. Hurd

The average number of persons detained in prison department establishments in England and Wales under the Immigration Act 1971 is published annually in "Prison Statistics, England and Wales"—table 1.4 of the issue for 1982, Cmnd. 9027. The average period of detention of such persons discharged in 1981 was five weeks, and in 1982 four and a half weeks; these average prosecutions there have been for the physical abuse of children; and what is the incidence of such cases among (a) one-parent families and (b) two-parent families.

Mr. Mellor

There is no specific criminal offence of physical abuse of a child; prosecutions against actions of this type may be recorded under various offence classifications, only some of which distinguish the age of the victim. The readily available information on offences known on the children is given in the following table. For other types of offence—for example, rape or wounding—the information collected centrally does not distinguish offences against children from those against adults. Information is not available on the family circumstances of such offences.

periods do not include any time spent in police cells or immigration service detention units. Information for 1983 is not yet available.

Mr. Soley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of people received into prison department establishments under Immigration Act powers during 1983 by individual prison establishment and category.

Mr. Hurd

The most recent readily available information relates to 1982 and is given in the following table. Details of category could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Receptions into Prison Department Establishments in England and Wales in 1982 of People Detained under the Immigration Act 1971: by establishment
Establishment Number of receptions*
Remand centres
Ashford 706
Brockhill 2
Exeter 1
Low Newton 1
Risley 39
Winchester 1
Prisons
Bedford 8
Birmingham 20
Bristol 15
Brixton 14
Camp Hill 1
Canterbury 13
Cardiff 6
Dorchester 2
Durham 8
Exeter 5
Gloucester 4
Holloway 63
Leeds 15
Leicester 3
Lewes 1
Lincoln 6
Manchester 5
Norwich 4
Oxford 1
Pentonville 6
Reading 1
Shrewsbury 1
Wormwood
Scrubs 2
Winchester 9
TOTAL 963
* The figures are those recorded centrally and are approximate: detailed checking of individual cases would involve disproportionate cost.