HC Deb 19 December 1990 vol 183 cc196-7W
Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the total number of verdicts of suicide which have been returned on prisoners who died by their own hand during 1990 in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Rumbold

As at 17 December, a total of 48 inmates had died at their own hands during 1990. A verdict of suicide was returned on 19 of these inmates; inquests on 19 of the deaths are yet to be held.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in England and Wales died by their own hand in each year from 1980 until the latest available date; and of these, what number were(a) remand prisoners, (b) female prisoners, and (c) prisoners under the age of 21 years; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs. Rumbold

The information is set out in the table

Deaths at the inmate's own hand at HM Prison Service establishments 1
January 1980—17 December 1990
Year Unsentenced inmates1 Female inmates Inmates aged All inmates under 212
1980 12 — 2 25(21)
1981 8 1 2 21(16)
1982 15 — 5 25(18)
1983 12 — 3 27(21)
1984 15 — 4 27(23)
1985 19 — 3 29(23)
1986 14 — 5 21(17)
1987 28 — 7 46(42)
1988 21 — 9 37(31)
19894 27 2 11 48(34)
19904 25 1 8 348 (19)
1 Includes inmates who had been convicted by not yet sentenced.
2 The figures in brackets show the number of deaths for which a suicide verdict was returned.
3 Inquests have yet to be held on 19 deaths which occurred in 1990.
4 To 17 December.

Mr. Battle

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training is offered within the prison service to staff on how to deal with suicidal inmates; and if he has any plans to increase the amount of training offered.

Mrs. Rumbold

(holding answer 18 December 1990): All new entrant prison officers are given training in suicide awareness and interpersonal skills as part of their initial course. In-service training is organised on the cascade principle. Selected members of staff attend a three-day course at the prison service college, at which they are trained in suicide prevention and also learn how to deliver this training within their own establishments. Courses are arranged locally as and when governors are able to release staff to attend them. I welcome the increasing participation by the Samaritans in suicide prevention courses both at the prison service college and at a number of individual establishments.

We shall be considering the need to accelerate and develop the in-service training programme in the light of the report on suicide and self-injury by Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons, which has been published today.