HC Deb 26 May 1988 vol 134 cc333-4W
Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were convicted in 1987, either on their own admission of guilt or following a plea of not guilty, on the basis of evidence on behalf of the Crown given by alleged accomplices in cases concerning scheduled offences in Northern Ireland; how many suspects arrested on the basis of such evidence have been released as a result of the retraction of evidence given by accomplices; how many people are presently awaiting trial as a result of evidence obtained from alleged accomplices; and how many people have been found not guilty, or not guilty on appeal, on the basis of such evidence.

Mr. Stanley

In 1987, none.

Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons were remanded in custody before trial for scheduled and non-scheduled offences and both together in the second half of 1987.

Mr. Stanley

A total of 939 persons were remanded in custody in the scond half of 1987, 542 of whom were charged with scheduled offences and 397 with non-scheduled offences.

Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of prisoners on custodial remand for scheduled and non-scheduled offences, respectively, were(a) given a non-custodial sentence, (b) given a custodial sentence and (c) found not guilty or not proceeded against in 1987.

Mr. Stanley

Following is the information:

Disposal Scheduled offences Non-scheduled offences
per cent. per cent.
Non-custodial sentence 12.9 17.4
Custodial sentence 74.6 64.2
Found not guilty or not proceeded against 12.5 18.4

Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the average number of days that prisoners spent on custodial remand for scheduled and non-scheduled offences and both together in 1987.

Mr. Stanley

For persons who were tried in 1987 and who were in custody at the time of their trial, the average time spent on custodial remand was 178 days for persons charged with scheduled offences and 46 days for persons charged with non-scheduled offences.

Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications for bail by those held on remand for scheduled and non-scheduled offences and both together were refused bail in 1987.

Mr. Stanley

A total of 576 bail applications were refused in 1987 in respect of persons charged with scheduled offences and 228 in respect of persons charged with non-scheduled offences. The latter includes a corrected figure of 111 refusals in the first six months of the year rather than 110 as stated in my reply to the hon. Member on 18 December 1987, at column 800.

Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the average number of days spent on remand for both scheduled and non-scheduled offences together, in the second half of 1987;what was the total number of persons remanded in custody before trial for both scheduled and non-scheduled offences together in the second half of 1987; and what was the number of bail applications refused for(a) scheduled offences, (b) non-sheduled offences and (c) both together in the second half of 1987.

Mr. Stanley

In the second half of 1987, 939 persons were remanded in custody, 341 bail applications were refused in respect of persons charged with scheduled offences and 117 in respect of persons charged with non-scheduled offences. The average length of time spent on custodial remand for persons tried in the second half of 1987 and who were in custody at the date of the trial was 108 days.

Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons were detained under the Emergency Provisions (Northern Ireland) Acts 1973 and 1978 in the first six months of 1987 and in the second half of 1987; and how many of these persons were subsequently charged with(a) scheduled offences and (b) non-scheduled offences.

Mr. Stanley

In the first half of 1987, 48 persons were arrested under section 14 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978, and 378 under section 11. The power of arrest under section 11 was repealed from 15 June 1987. Nobody was arrested under section 13. Fourty-four of those arrested were subsequently charged with scheduled offences and two with non-scheduled offences.

In the second half of 1987, nine persons were arrested under section 13 of the Act and 47 under Section 14. I shall write to the hon. Member with the numbers subsequently charged.