HC Deb 15 February 1988 vol 127 cc434-5W
Mrs. Ann Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many juveniles have spent time on remand, or convicted, in police cells in the last six months, and how many of those were removed from the region in which they appeared in court in order to be held in police cells;

(2) how many 17 to 20-year-olds have spent time on remand, or convicted, in police cells in the last six months; and how many of these were removed from the region in which they appeared in court in order to be held in police cells.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Information is not available in the form requested. Records do not distinguish between juveniles and other under-21s or between convicted and unconvicted prisoners. The available information relates to persons aged under 21 years held in police cells in England and Wales on any day. The following table lists this information for each Friday between 7 August 1987 and 5 February this year:

Date Number
7 August 86
14 August 77
21 August 41
28 August 16
4 September 179
11 September 213
18 September 190
25 September 193
2 October 272
9 October 272
16 October 249
23 October 273
30 October 181
6 November 203
13 November 203
20 November 152
27 November 201
4 December 238
11 December 218
18 December 213
25 December 179
1 January 216
8 January 255
15 January 257
22 January 238
29 January 247
5 February 236

Mr. Teddy Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will authorise Her Majesty's Inspector of Prisons to carry out an investigation into the situation in police cells which are regularly used for the detention of prisoners on remand; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

No. The role of the Chief Inspector of Prisons is to report on prison matters, whereas care and custody of prioners in police cells are the responsibility of chief officers of police.

Mr. Teddy Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners on remand were being detained in police cells on the most recent date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

On Friday 12 February, 985 prisoners were held in police cells, in England and Wales, most of whom would have been on remand.