HC Deb 13 December 1985 vol 88 cc792-3W
Mrs. Renée Short

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) men and (b) women were remanded in prison for medical reports in each of the last five years; and what proportion in each category eventually received a custodial sentence.

Mr. Mellor

I shall reply as soon as possible.

Mr. Berminghan

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of persons remanded in custody awaiting trial, both male and female, at the latest date available.

Mr. Mellor

On 31 October 1985, about 7,860 untried males and 310 untried females were in prison department establishments in England and Wales. Information on how many were awaiting commencement of their trial is not available centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Bermingham

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of persons remanded in custody awaiting trial, at (a) Risley remand centre and (b) Brockhill remand centre at 31 December 1984, 30 June 1985 and the latest date available.

Mr. Mellor

The readily availble information is given in the table below. Information on how many were awaiting commencement of their trial is not available centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Untried population of Risley and Brockhill remand centres
Number of persons*
31 December 30 June 31 October
1984 1985 1985
Risley remand centre† 690 715 770
Brockhill remand centre 195 205 195
* Rounded estimates.
‡ Males and females.

Mr. Hoyle

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will express the number of remands in custody for (a) indictable and (b) all offences excluding driving offences, as a percentage of the total number of persons charged with offences in each category, using figures for the latest available 12 months period.

Mr. Mellor

Information on the number of persons remanded and the type of remand is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", chapter 8 of the issue for 1984. In 1984, seven per cent. of those proceeded against at magistrates' courts for indictable offences and four per cent. of those proceeded against for indictable or non-motoring summary offences had been remanded in custody. Of those tried at the Crown court in 1984, 23 per cent. had been remanded in custody either on committal for trial or during proceedings at the Crown court.