HC Deb 01 March 1988 vol 128 c493W
Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) sentenced prisoners and (b) remand prisoners in England and Wales committed suicide whilst in custody in each year since 1974.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

The following figures refer to deaths in prison department custody in respect of which suicide verdicts were subsequently returned:

Sentenced Remand
1974 2 4
1975 6 8
1976 9 11
1977 7 4
1978 8 8
1979 12 9
1980 9 12
19811 8 7
1982 8 9
1983 12 9
1984 10 13
19852 7 14
1986 5 12
19873 13 26
1 Excludes one inmate who had been committed to Broadmoor and who was awaiting removal there.
2 Excludes one inmate awaiting extradition proceedings.
3 Excludes three inmates (two sentenced, one remand) who apparently committed suicide but whose inquests have not yet been held and one inmate held under Immigration Act powers.