§ Mr. AmessTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many attacks were perpetrated upon prison officers in England and Wales in each year since 1970; what was the punishment meted out to each offender in each case; and what was the compensation paid to the injured officer in each case.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggThe readily available information on proven offences of gross personal violence to or assault on a prison officer, and the punishment awarded, in the years 1982 to 1986 was published in the annual command paper "Prison Statistics England and Wales" (tables 9.7, 9.8 and 9.9 of the latest issue, for 1986, Cm. 210) copies of which are in the Library. Figures for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Department
474Wcopies of which are available in the Library. The number of such cases where one or more victims was less than 16 years of age are given in the following table for the years 1982 to 1987. Information on homicides in the Basildon area is not available, but figures for the Essex police force area for the years 1982 to 1987 are included; corresponding figures for the years 1968 to 1981 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
does not award compensation to prison officers in connection with such incidents: this is a matter for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.