§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many remand prisoners are currently being held in police cells; how many there were in each of the past 12 weeks; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorThe number of prisoners held in police cells last Friday1 (17 October) and on the 12 previous Fridays were as follows. Save where indicated, all the prisoners were held in the south-east; the majority would have been untried.
959W
17 October 97 10 October 96 3 October 2188 26 September 105
19 September 82 12 September 84 5 September 61 29 August 89 22 August 73 15 August 197 8 August 150 1 August 204 25 July 214 1 Figures relate to Thursday night-Friday morning. 2 Including 91 held in the north-west because of disturbances at Risley remand centre.
§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current nightly cost of keeping a remand prisoner in a police cell; and how this compares with each of the past five years.
§ Mr. MellorThe average cost per prisoner-night of prisoners held in Metropolitan police cells during the financial year ended 31 March 1986, the most recent period for which information is readily available, is estimated at approximately £170. The approximate figure for previous years is as follows:
£ 1984–85 200 1983–84 150 1982–83 100 No figures have been calculated for 1981–82, during much of which police cells were rarely used. The cost represents actual expenditure by the police in staff, accommodation and services, and is determined by various factors, in particular, the number of prisoners and the number of locations at which they are held.
The cost of prisoners held by other police forces vary considerably according to circumstances. Comprehensive figures could be produced only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were remanded in custody in police cells as of (a) 31 July, (b) 31 August and (c) 30 September; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorThe number of persons remanded in custody in police cells on the dates requested was as follows:
Males Young offenders (aged 17 to 21) Females Total 31 July 1986 124 18 62 204 31 August 1986 37 19 35 91 30 September 1986 53 23 55 131
§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding the remanding in custody of women.
§ Mr. MellorI have received a number of representations regarding the remanding in custody of women, including reports from the Social Services Committee and the Howard League, and correspondence from Members of Parliament and the TUC.