§ Lord Donaldson of Kingsbridgeasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many prisoners in England and Wales were serving life sentences on the most recent convenient date, and for what offences had they been sentenced.
The Earl of CaithnessThe last available information is given in the table.
Population(1) of life sentence prisoners(2) in Prison Department establishments on 30th November 1986: by offence. Offence Number of persons(3) Murder 1,775 Manslaughter 175 Other homicide and attempted homicide 45 Wounding 45 Other violence against the person 15 Buggery 20 Rape 100 Aggravated burglary 5 Robbery 10 Arson 60 Other offences 10 Offence not recorded(4) 20 TOTAL 2,275 (1) The figures are those recorded centrally and are rounded estimates; detailed checking of individual cases would involve disproportionate cost. (2) Including persons detained under Section 53, Children and Young Persons Act 1933 and those serving custody for life. (3) Including persons recalled following a release on licence. (4) Includes some recent receptions for whom information has not yet been received.
§ Lord Donaldson of Kingsbridgeasked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the average period of detention after sentence for life sentence prisoners released in 1985.
471WA
The Earl of CaithnessThe average time served under sentence in Prison Department establishments in England and Wales by those first released on licence from life sentences in 1985 was about ten and a quarter years. The wide variations in the periods served in custody from which such averages are calculated are shown in Table 4(e) of Prison Statistics 1985 (Cmnd. 9903). The data do not take into account any time that may have been served on remand or in other custodial care before entering a Prison Department establishment and they exclude those persons who have died in custody or been discharged for other reasons.
§ Lord Donaldson of Kingsbridgeasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many life sentence prisoners had been in custody for 15 years or more and how many for 20 years or more on the most recent convenient date.
The Earl of CaithnessThe latest available information is given in the table.
Population(1) of life sentence(2) prisoners in Prison Department establishments in England and Wales on 30th November 1986 who had spent 15 years or more under sentence in those establishments. Time spent under sentence(4) in Prison Department establishments Number of prisoners All Recalled(3) 15 years but less than 20 years 122 37 20 years and over 36 10 (1) The figures are those recorded centrally and are approximate; detailed checking of individual cases would involve disproportionate cost. (2) Including persons detained under Section 53, Children and Young Persons Act 1933 and those serving custody for life. (3) Prisoners who had been recalled after having been released on licence. (4) Excludes time served on remand.