§ Lord Hutchinson of Lullingtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many life sentence prisoners were recalled to prison in 1987 and how many of these had been convicted of a new offence.
Earl FerrersInformation is not available in the form requested. The readily available information is published in Home Office Statistical Bulletin 9/88,Reconvictions and recalls of life licensees: England and Wales 1986, a copy of which is in the Library. Between 1977 and 1986, 752 prisoners were released on licence from life sentences, of whom 112 (15 per cent.) had been recalled by the end of 1986.
It is not possible, without incurring disproportionate cost, to determine how many of those recalled had been convicted of a new offence. Corresponding figures up to the end of 1987 are not yet available.