§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many suicides there were in prisons and young offender institutions in each of the past 10 years.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:The information is as follows:
Year Suicides 1979 3 1980 1 1981 3 1982 3 1983 6 1984 5 1985 7 1986 7 1987 7 1988 7
§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the number of incidents defined as suicide attempts in prisons and young offender institutions in each of the past 10 years.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonStatistics are not kept recording the number of suicide attempts.
§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who has responsibility for deciding whether an accident is to be classified as a self-inflicted wound or an attempted suicide in prisons and young offender establishments.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonGovernors of establishments make this decision, based on the advice of their medical officers.