§ Ms. Harmanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unsentenced women gave birth while serving custodial sentences in the year 1985–86; and what sentences they eventually received.
§ Mr. MellorThe information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Table 4, appendix 7 of the report on the work of the prison department 1985–86 (Cmd. 11) records 71 female inmates temporarily removed to outside hospitals for delivery returning to the establishment afterwards, and one whose delivery took place within the establishment. This delivery accounts for the one live birth recorded in the table.
§ Ms. Harmanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state (a) how many women in prison are mothers of dependent children, (b) how many dependent children do these women have and (c) how many of these children are aged under 18 months.
§ Mr. MellorThe information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. On 11 August 1986, 340 females in custody were known to be the mothers of 455 children aged five years or under, of whom 111 were 18 months or under.
§ Ms. Harmanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state (a) how many women were in custody with their children on the most recent convenient date, (b) in which prisons these women with their children were held, (c) what were the ages of the children and (d) for what offences these mothers had been imprisoned.
§ Mr. MellorThe information is not readily available: I shall reply as soon as possible.
§ Ms. Harmanasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women in prison on the most recent convenient date were known to be pregnant.
§ Mr. MellorOn 9 January, 18 adults and 11 youth custody trainees.