HC Deb 17 June 1988 vol 135 c332W
Mrs. Fyfe

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of(a) adult and (b) young offender women prisoners received accredited vocational training during 1986.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

No accredited vocational training courses were held at Cornton Vale during 1986.

Mrs. Fyfe

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of women prisoners in 1986 had had psychiatric in-patient treatment prior to their trial and sentence; and what percentage of these women were mothers.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

Information is not available in the form requested. Details of previous psychiatric treatment of inmates in penal establishments is obtained, if necessary, in individual cases but is not recorded centrally.

Mrs. Fyfe

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of women prisoners in 1986(a) had previously been in prison and (b) had previous convictions and non-custodial sentences.

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton

The only statistical information held centrally on the previous sentences and convictions of inmates is obtained from the inmates on reception into the penal establishment and may not be completely reliable. The figures from this source are as follows:

Women received under sentence into prisons in Scotland: 1986
Percentage admitting: per cent.
Previous direct prison sentence 60.8
Other direct custodial sentence (but not direct prison sentence) 4.2
Other previous sentence only (non-custodial or custodial sentence in default of fine/compensation order) 14.1
No previous sentence 20.9