Terrorism (Hansard, 3 February 1986)

§ Mr. McNamara
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the average period between remand and trial for prisoners refused bail and charged with terrorist-type offences in Great Britain in 1985 and the current year to date; and how many prisoners were held in this manner.

§ Mr. Mellor
The information which is readily available concerning prisoners charged with terrorist-type offences relates to prisoners who are currently in prison custody in England and Wales and in category A. It does not cover prisoners who have been released or downgraded.
In 1985, 11 prisoners were first received in custody charged with terrorist-type offences and placed in category A. As at 16 January 1986 none of the trials of these prisoners has been completed.

§ Mr. McNamara
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons detained under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts in each of the police areas of Metropolitan London, Dumfries and Galloway and Merseyside have been charged with offences under the Acts or under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Acts of 1973 and 1978 in 1985.

§ Mr. Giles Shaw
The available information is shown in the following table. Information on detentions in the three police forces areas specified is published quarterly in Home Office Statistical Bulletins (table 3 of issue 1/86).

§ Mr. Mellor
The available information is published annually in "Prison Statistics, England and Wales" (table 2(g)) of the latest issue for 1984, (Cmnd. 9622). Corresponding figures for 1985 are not yet available.
5W

§ Mr. McNamara
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average length of custodial sentences of female prisoners in England and Wales in 1985.

§ Mr. Mellor
Information on the distribution of the length of sentence of females received under sentence is published annually in "Prison Statistics, England and Wales" (tables 3.3, 3.13, 5.2, 5.9 and 7.1 of the latest issue for 1984) (Cmnd. 9622). The average length of sentence for females received into prison department establishments in England and Wales in 1984 to serve a determinate sentence, excluding those in default of payment of a fine, was about 18 weeks for young offenders and 23 weeks for adults. Information for 1985 is not yet available.