§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last visited remand prisoners in police cells; where; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorMy noble Friend Lord Glenarthur visited the cells at Horseferry road magistrates court on 30 July 1985.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces outside of the metropolitan area have detained prisoners in police cells in 1985; where they were detained; and what were their age and sex.
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Adult males Adult females Males under 21 Metropolitan police Other Forces Metropolitan police Other Forces Metropolitan police Other Forces Total October 18–21 36 — — — — — 36 21–22 6 — 5 — — 11 22 22–23 20 — — — — 9 29 23–24 5 — — — — 5 10 24–25 — — 11 — 2 — 13 25–28 — — 12 3 — — 15 28–29 3 — 11 2 — — 16 29–30 — — 6 — — — 6 30–31 12 — 15 1 — — 28 31–1 5 — 13 — — 7 25 November 3–4 12 3 — 3 — 9 27 4–5 3 — 6 — — 5 14 5–6 6 — 9 2 2 — 19 6–7 7 — 13 1 6 1 28 7–8 — — 21 — 1 2 24 8–11 24 — 18 3 — — 45 11–12 2 — 14 1 — 2 19 12–13 3 — 20 — — 7 30 13–14 1 — 20 1 2 — 24 14–15 — — 24 1 3 — 28 15–18 27 — 36 — — — 63 18–19 19 — 15 1 — — 35 19–20 24 — 16 4 — — 44
§ Mr. MellorThe number of prisoners held in police cells by provincial police forces between 18 October 1985 (that is since my reply to a similar question by the hon. Member on 28 October) and 31 December 1985 was as follows:
counties Adult Under 21 Adult Under 21 Males Males Females Females Bedfordshire — — 2 — Cambridgeshire — — 1 — Dorset — — 6 — Essex 35 — 2 3 Hampshire — — 11 4 Hertfordshire 29 — — — Kent — — 3 1 Leicestershire — — — — Norfolk — — — — Northampton — — — 1 Suffolk — — 8 — Surrey 11 — — — Sussex 54 — — 1 Thames Valley — — 7 — Wiltshire — — 1 — Total 129 — 42 10
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the longest period of time that a person was detained in police cells in 1985.
§ Mr. MellorTwenty-nine nights.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of (a) men, (b) women and (c) juveniles in custody in police cells on each day in 1985 by location.
§ Mr. MellorThe number of prisoners held in police cells in 1985 after 18 October, the last occasion on which I answered this question for the hon. Member, was as follows: 621W
Adult males Adult females Males under 21 Metropolitan Police Other Forces Metropolitan Police Other Forces Metropolitan Police Other Forces Total 20–21 8 — 24 1 — 1 34 21–22 13 — 22 — — — 35 22–25 36 — 45 6 — — 87 25–26 40 — 19 6 — 2 67 26–27 41 — 26 1 — 1 69 27–28 16 5 31 1 3 — 56 28–29 — — 36 2 3 — 41 29–2 45 — 48 — — — 93 December 2–3 44 3 20 3 — 3 73 3–4 77 16 24 2 4 — 123 4–5 87 21 19 — 6 3 136 5–6 57 26 10 — — 3 96 6–9 111 9 — 3 — 3 126 9–10 37 — 6 1 — 11 55 10–11 37 — 7 — — — 7 11–12 2 — 9 — — — 11 12–13 16 — 15 — — — 31 16–17 16 — 1 — — 3 20 17–18 9 — — — — — 9 18–19 5 — 4 — — — 9 19–20 8 — 6 — — 1 15 20–23 3 — — — — — 3 23–24 7 — — — — — 7
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of (a) men, (b) women and (c) juveniles in custody in police cells on each day in 1986 by location.
Adult Females Adult Males Males Under 21 Metropolitan Police Other Forces Metropolitan Police Other Forces Metropolitan Police Other Forces Total January 1–2 15 15 — — — — 15 2–3 4 — — — — — 4 7–8 3 — — — 1 — 4 10–13 15 — — — — — 15
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest cost of holding a person in police cells.
§ Mr. MellorThe average cost per night of holding a prisoner in police cells based on the latest accounts submitted by the Metropolitan police, is £176.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of police officers deployed in 1985 in guarding persons detained in police cells.
§ Mr. MellorThis information is not recorded centrally.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total expenditure on prisoners in police cells in the last financial year.
§ Mr. MellorTotal expenditure incurred by the Department in the financial year 1984–85 on holding prisoners in police cells was £3,358,560.
§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on conditions in which unconvicted and unsentenced persons are held in police and court cells.
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§ Mr. MellorAs at 13 January 1986, prisoners have been held in police cells as follows:
§ Mr. MellorWe are conscious of the fact that court cells are not designed to hold prisoners for more than a few hours and that the medical and other facilities leave much to be desired. The police, however, are doing everything they can under difficult circumstances to provide the best possible facilities.