§ Mr. BerminghamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many untried prisoners were held in custody on the most recent convenient date; and how many of these had been on remand in custody for more than three months, more than six months and more than 12 months, respectively.
§ Mr. Douglas Hogg[holding answer 19 May 1988]: On 31 March 1988, a total of 8,390 untried prisoners were held in prison department establishments in England and Wales. A further 1,310 prisoners were held in police cells, most of whom would have been on remand. The latest information on the length of time since initial remand in custody, relates to 30 June 1987 and is given in the table.
380W
Estimated population1 of untried prisoners in Prison Department establishments in England and Wales on 30 June 1987: by length of time since first remand into Prison Department establishment2 Length of time since first remand into Prison Department establishment2 Estimated number of persons3 4 Up to three months 6,300 Over three up to six months 2,000 Over six up to 12 months 750 Over 12 months 100 All untried prisoners 59,140 1 Based on records held centrally which are approximate, detailed checking of individual cases, would involve disproportionate cost. 2 Excludes any time spent in police cells, before being received on remand into a Prison Department establishment; includes any subsequent time which may have been spent on bail.
3 Rounded estimates; the components do not add to the total, because they have been rounded independently.
4 Provisional figures.
5 Excludes 580 prisoners held in police cells, most of whom would have been on remand.
§ Mr. Michael McNair-WilsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis as to how many firearms have been seized by the Metropolitan police in the past five years; and how many firearms were stolen in the same area over the same time.
§ Mr. Douglas Hogg[holding answer 20 May 1988]: I understand from the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis that separate information is not available on the numbers of weapons seized. The total numbers of firearms and shotguns surrendered or confiscated are published in the Commissioner's annual reports (page 140 of the issue for 1986), copies of which are in the Library. Over the five years 1982 to 1986 the total was 6,503. Over the same period the Metropolitan police recorded 941 offences of theft, burglary or handling stolen goods in which firearms or shotguns were misappropriated. The number of weapons involved will be higher since some offences involved more than one weapon.