PRISON POPULATION: STATISTICS (Hansard, 19 June 1990)

Lord Hunt
asked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the number of life sentence prisoners in custody in 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975 and each year from 1980 to 1989, and what proportion of the sentenced prison population did they represent.

§ Viscount Ullswater
Information for 1960 and 1965 is not available. The average sentenced population in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales in 1970 was 33,910, of whom 730 (2 per cent.) were serving life sentences. The corresponding figures for 1975 were 33,733 and 1,137 (3 per cent.). Figures for the years 1980 and 1988 are published in Table 1.5 of Prison Statistics England and Wales 1988 (Cm. 825), a copy of which is in the Library. The provisional average sentenced population in 1989 was 37,885 and 2,674 (7 per cent.) were life sentence prisoners.

Lord Hunt
asked Her Majesty's Government:
What proportion of people given life sentences in 1960–69, 1970–79 and 1980–89 respectively had committed non-homicide offences.

§ Viscount Ullswater
The information required is given in the table below. Data for 1989 will not be available until autumn 1990.

Proportion of defendants given life sentences for non-homicide offences

England and Wales

Years Percentage

1960–68 12

1960–69 14

1970–78 17

1970–79 17

1980–88 16

915WA

Lord Hunt
asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the current number of life sentence prisoners; for what offences were they sentenced; and how many have been in prison for (a) 15 years or more and (b) 20 years or more.

§ Viscount Ullswater
The latest readily available information is given in the table.

Life sentence prisoners held under their original sentence⁽¹⁾ in prison services establishments in England and Wales on 30th September 1989: by time spent under sentence in such establishments and offence group

Years spent under sentence⁽²⁾

Offence group Under 15 years 15 and under 20 years 20 years and over All

Murder 1,942 100 39 2,081

Manslaughter 146 18 7 171

Other homicide and attempted homicide 41 6 1 48

Other violence against the person 52 6 2 60

Rape 111 12 3 126

Other Sexual 26 3 — 29

Robbery 6 1 1 8

Arson 58 2 — 60

Other 18 — 1 19

All offences 2,400 148 54 2,602

(1) Excluding 110 prisoners recalled following an earlier release on licence.

(2) Excluding any time spent on remand in custody or in non-prison service establishments.

(3) The figures are those recorded centrally and are approximate: detailed checking of individual cases would involve disproportionate cost.

Proportion of defendants given life sentences for non-homicide offences
England and Wales
Years	Percentage
1960–68	12
1960–69	14
1970–78	17
1970–79	17
1980–88	16

Life sentence prisoners held under their original sentence⁽¹⁾ in prison services establishments in England and Wales on 30th September 1989: by time spent under sentence in such establishments and offence group
	Years spent under sentence⁽²⁾
Offence group	Under 15 years	15 and under 20 years	20 years and over	All
Murder	1,942	100	39	2,081
Manslaughter	146	18	7	171
Other homicide and attempted homicide	41	6	1	48
Other violence against the person	52	6	2	60
Rape	111	12	3	126
Other Sexual	26	3	—	29
Robbery	6	1	1	8
Arson	58	2	—	60
Other	18	—	1	19
All offences	2,400	148	54	2,602
(1) Excluding 110 prisoners recalled following an earlier release on licence.
(2) Excluding any time spent on remand in custody or in non-prison service establishments.
(3) The figures are those recorded centrally and are approximate: detailed checking of individual cases would involve disproportionate cost.