§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Attorney-General what was the daily cost of keeping each of the seven acquitted defendants in the Cyprus Official Secrets Act trial in custody.
§ Mr. MellorI have been asked to reply.
The defendants in the Cyprus Offical Secrets Act trial were held in custody for varying periods in either Wormwood Scrubs prison, Brixton prison or, very briefly, Ashford remand centre. Six of the defendants were released on bail following a period in custody. It is not possible to calculate the costs of keeping individual persons in custody, but, based on figures which are available for the financial year 1984–85, it is estimated that the average daily cost of maintaining a person in one of these establishments was about £50.