Remand (Hansard, 15 May 1989)

§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of persons who 93W were remanded in custody during 1987 and 1988 in gaol in England and Wales emanated from an ethnic minority; and what percentage was eventually acquitted, not proceeded against or given a non-custodial sentence.

Persons received into prison service establishments in England and Wales as unsentenced prisoners, by outcome of court proceedings and ethnic origin 1987.

Percentage¹

Outcome White West Indian Guyanese African Indian Pakistani Bangladeshi Chinese Arab Mixed Orgin Other, not recorder, refused All persons

Found not guilty or not proceeded against 4 9 6 6 6 5

Non-custodial or freed on rising² 30 25 26 31 28 29

Received under sentence 52 45 47 47 24 51

Ultimate disposal not reccorder 13 21 21 16 42 15

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100

(Number of receptions) (56,154) (6,506) (1,317) (1,423) (1,198) (66,598)

(Percentage of receptions) (84.3) (9.8) (2.0) (2.1) (1.8) (100.0)

¹ Provisional figures; as later information is now available the figures for all persons have been revised from those published in table 2.6 of Prison statistics, England and Wales (Cm. 547).

² Persons freed on rising are those who were sentenced to immediate custody of such a length, that it had already been served on remand.

§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
To ask the Secretary for State of the Home Department what percentage of males and females who were remanded in custody in England and Wales in 1987 and 1988 were eventually either acquitted, not proceeded against or given a non-custodial sentence.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The latest available information for 1987 is given in the table. Information for 1988 is not a reliable guide because for a large proportion of the prisoners the outcome of court proceedings is not yet recorded.

Persons received into prison service establishments in England and Wales as unsenlenced prisoners by outcome of court proceedings and sex 1987.

¹Percentage

Outcome Males Females

Not guilty or not proceeded against 5 5

Given a non-custodial sentence or freed on rising² 29 39

Received under sentence 52 36

Ultimate disposal not recorded 15 20

TOTAL 100 100

(Number of receptions) (63,349) (3,249)

¹ Provisional figures, as later information is now available the figures have been revised from those published in table 2.6 of Prison statistics, England and Wales (Cm. 547).

² Persons freed on rising are those who were sentenced to immediate custody of such length that it had already been served on remand.

§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes have been made to remand prisoners' rights and privileges since 1979.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
From 1983 all unconvicted prisoners have been allowed to send two letters a week at public expense (previously they had to pay for them if they had private cash). In 1986 regional directors were given discretion to approve variations at particular establishments in arrangements for daily visits by relatives and friends, provided that an aggregate entitlement of at least one and half hours' visiting time per week was maintained
94W

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
Information for 1988 is not a reliable guide because for a large proportion of the prisoners the outcome of court proceedings is not yet recorded.
The latest available information for 1987 is given in the table.
for each unconvicted prisoner and that weekend visits were available at least fortnightly. In 1988 the unconvicted prisoners' privilege of having food and drink brought in by relatives or friends was withdrawn.

§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons committed suicide in gaol in England and Wales during a period of remand during 1987 and 1988.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
A total of 27 in 1987 and 18 in 1988. In addition, the inquest on the apparent suicide of one remand prisoner in 1988 remains to be held.

§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons died in gaol in England and Wales during a period of remand during 1987 and 1988.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
A total of 33 in 1987 and 25 in 1988. In addition, in 1987 six and in 1988 seven remand prisoners died in outside hospitals to which they had been transferred because of serious illness.

§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many psychiatric reports were prepared on remand prisoners in England and Wales in 1988 or for the latest year in which figures are available.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The available information relates only to reports made under sections 47 and 48 of the Mental Health Act 1983 recommending transfer to psychiatric or special hospitals, and does not distinguish between sentenced and unsentenced prisoners. In the year ending 31 March 1988, 206 such reports were prepared.

§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons deemed psychiatrically ill were remanded in custody in England and Wales for the latest date available.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The available information relates only to populations and not to numbers received. On 30 95W September 1988 a total of 158 unsentenced prisoners in England and Wales were considered by medical officers to meet the criteria for detention in hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983. Of these, 150 were considered to be mentally ill, five were considered to be mentally impaired and three were considered to be suffering from psychopathic disorder, as defined in the Act.

§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were remanded in gaols in England and Wales for the latest year in which figures are available.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
In 1988, the provisional number of receptions into prison service establishments was 58,300 for untried prisoners and 17,300 for convicted unsentenced prisoners. These figures exclude those received into police cells and not subsequently received into a prison service establishment.

§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the average time spent waiting for trial for male and female remand prisoners in gaols in England and Wales for 1986, 1987 and 1988;
(2) what was the average time spent waiting for trial for male and female remand prisoners in gaols in England and Wales for the latest date available.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The latest readily available information was published in table 2.1 of Prison Statistics England and Wales 1987 (Cm. 547), a copy of which is in the Library. Provisional data for 1988 indicate very little change for males but a further increase for females.

§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average remand population of gaols in England and Wales during 1988.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
On average there were 8,797 untried and 1,664 convicted and unsentenced prisoners in prison service establishments in England and Wales in 1988. In addition 982, most of whom were untried, were held in police cells. Further information was published in tables 3 and 4 of "The Prison Population in 1988" (Home Office Statistical Bulletin issue 12/89), a copy of which is in the Library.

§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the remand population in gaols in England and Wales for the latest date available and for a similar date in 1986, 1987 and 1988.

§ Mr. Douglas Hogg
The information requested is given in the following table:

Remand population in custody in England and Wales on 31 March 1986 to 1989

1986 1987 1988 1989

Prison service establishments:

Untried 8,115 8,770 8,387 8,939

Convicted unsentenced 1,339 1,611 1,602 1,760

Prison cells¹ 62 380 1,078 71

Total 9,516 10,761 11,067 10,770

¹ On 31 March 1986, 1987 and 1989 all those held in police cells are assumed to be remand prisoners; it is estimated that on 31 March 1988 a further 230 were held in police cells.

§ Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to reduce the remand population in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.
96W

§ Mr. John Patten
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 23 January 1989 at column 393.

Persons received into prison service establishments in England and Wales as unsentenced prisoners, by outcome of court proceedings and ethnic origin 1987.
Percentage¹
Outcome	White	West Indian Guyanese African	Indian Pakistani Bangladeshi	Chinese Arab Mixed Orgin	Other, not recorder, refused	All persons
Found not guilty or not proceeded against	4	9	6	6	6	5
Non-custodial or freed on rising²	30	25	26	31	28	29
Received under sentence	52	45	47	47	24	51
Ultimate disposal not reccorder	13	21	21	16	42	15
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100
(Number of receptions)	(56,154)	(6,506)	(1,317)	(1,423)	(1,198)	(66,598)
(Percentage of receptions)	(84.3)	(9.8)	(2.0)	(2.1)	(1.8)	(100.0)
¹ Provisional figures; as later information is now available the figures for all persons have been revised from those published in table 2.6 of Prison statistics, England and Wales (Cm. 547).
² Persons freed on rising are those who were sentenced to immediate custody of such a length, that it had already been served on remand.

Persons received into prison service establishments in England and Wales as unsenlenced prisoners by outcome of court proceedings and sex 1987.
¹Percentage
Outcome	Males	Females
Not guilty or not proceeded against	5	5
Given a non-custodial sentence or freed on rising²	29	39
Received under sentence	52	36
Ultimate disposal not recorded	15	20
TOTAL	100	100
(Number of receptions)	(63,349)	(3,249)
¹ Provisional figures, as later information is now available the figures have been revised from those published in table 2.6 of Prison statistics, England and Wales (Cm. 547).
² Persons freed on rising are those who were sentenced to immediate custody of such length that it had already been served on remand.

Remand population in custody in England and Wales on 31 March 1986 to 1989
	1986	1987	1988	1989
Prison service establishments:
Untried	8,115	8,770	8,387	8,939
Convicted unsentenced	1,339	1,611	1,602	1,760
Prison cells¹	62	380	1,078	71
Total	9,516	10,761	11,067	10,770
¹ On 31 March 1986, 1987 and 1989 all those held in police cells are assumed to be remand prisoners; it is estimated that on 31 March 1988 a further 230 were held in police cells.