HC Deb 15 April 1988 vol 131 c257W
Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) male and (b) female prisoners in police or court cells committed suicide between 1 April 1987 and 31 March; and how many of these were on remand.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

There were no deaths in police or magistrates court cells, between 1 April 1987 and 31 March 1988, in which a coroner's inquest returned a verdict of suicide. There were three instances where an open verdict was returned. In a further case the inquest is pending. None of these prisoners was on remand.

Mr. Worthington

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) male and (b) female prisoners committed suicide between 1 April 1987 and 31 March 1988; and how many of these were on remand.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Verdicts of suicide have been returned on 31 inmates who died in prison department establishments in England and Wales between 1 April 1987 and 31 March 1988. Thirty of these were male, of whom 18 were on remand; the one female was also on remand. Inquests are yet to be held on eight other inmates (all male, four of whom were on remand) who die in prison department custody during the period in question and whose deaths are thought to have been suicide.