§ Mr. Holtasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the average figures served for life sentences imposed for offences of murder in the years 1960, 1970, 1975, and each year from 1980 to 1985.
§ Mr. Mellor[pursuant to his reply, 3 March 1987, c. 538]: The following table shows the readily available information on time spent under sentence in prison department establishments by those sentenced for murder. It also shows the numbers received in each year who were still in custody on 31 December 1986. The corresponding information for persons received in 1960 is not readily available.
453W
Year of reception under sentences and type of discharge Number discharged by years under sentence1 Population in custody December 1986 Up to 1 Over 1 up to 2 Over 2 up to 3 Over 3 up to 4 Over 4 up to 5 Over 5 up to 6 Over 6 up to 7 Over 7 up to 8 Over 8 up to 9 Over 9 up to 10 Over 10 up to 11 Over 11 up to 12 Over 12 up to 13 Over 13 up to 14 Over 14 up to 15 Over 15 up to 16 Total discharged 1983 On licence — — — — . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . — 122 Other2 6 3 2 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 1984 On licence — — — . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . — 148 Other2 8 5 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 1985 On licence — — . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . — 160 Others2 9 6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 1 Excluding any lime spent eiher on remand in custody, in non-prison department establishments or following any subsequent recall. 2 Including successful appeals, deaths and transfers to psychiatric hospitals or to outside England and Wales. 3 Based on central records which are approximate. . . Not applicable.