HC Deb 11 March 1986 vol 93 cc404-7W
Mr. Janner

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners died in prisons in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, respectively, during each of the past five years for which records are available; what ages were the deceased; and how many of such deaths were from natural causes.

Mr. Mellor

The information requested for England and Wales is as follows:

Year Number of deaths Ages Deaths Number of natural causes
1981 58 16 1 35
18 3
21 2
22 3
24 2
25 2
30 1

Year Number of deaths Ages Deaths Number of natural causes
31 1
32 3
33 2
34 1
35 1
36 1
37 2
38 2
39 2
41 1
42 1
45 1
46 1
48 1
49 2
52 2
53 2
55 1
56 3
57 2
58 3
59 1
61 3
62 2
63 1
65 1
71 1
Total 58

Year Number of deaths Ages Deaths Number of natural causes
1982 61 17 4 28
18 3
19 1
20 2
21 2
22 2
23 1
24 2
25 1
27 1
28 4
29 1
30 1
31 2
32 1
33 2
34 3
35 1
37 1
39 1
41 2
42 1
44 1
46 3
47 1
50 1
52 2
53 1
54 1
56 3
57 2
59 1
60 2
65 1
67 1
73 1
76 1
Total 61

Year Number of deaths Ages Deaths Number of natural causes
1983 64 17 1 33
19 1
20 2
21 1
25 4
26 3
28 2
29 1
31 1
32 1
33 3
35 2
36 2
37 1
38 2
39 2
40 3
41 2
42 2
43 3
44 1
45 5
46 2
47 2
49 1
50 2
52 3
54 1
55 2
58 1
59 2
60 1
61 1
65 1
Total 64

Year Number of deaths Ages Deaths Number of natural causes
1984 65 17 2 31
18 1
19 3
20 2
22 1
23 2
24 3
26 3
27 2
30 1
31 1
32 1
33 3
34 1
36 1
37 5
38 1
40 2
41 1
42 3
43 1
44 2
47 4
48 3
49 1
50 1
51 1
53 2
55 2
56 2
62 2
64 1
66 1
74 2

Year Number of deaths Ages Deaths Number of natural causes
79 1
Total 65

Year Number of deaths Ages Deaths Number of natural causes
1985 59 18 4 *20
19 1
20 1
21 5
23 2
24 4
26 2
27 3
28 1
29 1
31 5
32 2
33 1
34 2
35 1
38 3
39 1
40 2
44 1
45 1
46 1
48 2
50 1
51 1
52 1
53 1
54 1
57 1
59 1
60 2
63 1
72 1
74 1
79 1
Total 59

* Not including 15 on which verdicts still awaited.

My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland are responsible for the equivalent information in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Disciplinary offences dealt with at Featherstone Rule 43 cases
Year Assaults on staff Escapes Prisoners punished Total offences No. prisoners No. occasions
1976 Nil 5 6
1977 8 157 291
1978 2 333 438
1979 7 248 476
1980 2 211 381
1981 Nil 200 304
1982 Nil 198 269 37 38
1983 1 Nil 207 330 25 25
1984 Nil Nil 201 319 15 16
1985 Nil 7 320 480 29 30