HC Deb 18 December 1985 vol 89 c170W
Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the results of the ethnic monitoring of the prison population will be published.

Mr. Mellor

It is expected that information on the ethnic origin of persons received into prison department establishments will be published in the early months of the new year; corresponding information on the prison population will not become available until some time later. Publication has been delayed because priority was given to analytical work associated with the rapid rise in the prison population earlier in 1985.

Mr. Stern

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were in custody in Her Majesty's prisons at the latest date for which figures are available; and how many of these prisoners were held on remand awaiting trial.

Mr. Mellor

On 31 October 1985 about 46,900 persons were held in prison department establishments in England and Wales, of whom about 8,150 were untried. Information on how many were awaiting commencement of their trial is not available centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Back to