HC Deb 08 May 1990 vol 172 cc31-2W
Mr. Grocott

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average outstanding fine of those women prisoners serving sentences for non-payment of fines.

Mr. Mellor

The amount of fine outstanding is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Grocott

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the average weekly earnings of women prisoners.

Mr. Mellor

Inmates' pay schemes and the calculations made of average earnings make no distinction between male and female prisoners. For details of average earnings for all prisoners, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the right hon. Member for Morley and Leeds, South (Mr. Rees) on 18 April at column910.

Mr. Grocott

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of women in prison were convicted of crimes involving violence;

(2) if he will list the numbers of women in prison according to the category of their offence.

Mr. Mellor

The readily available information relates to the sentenced population and was published in table 8 of "The Prison Population in 1989", Home Office statistical bulletin 12/90.

Mr. Grocott

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the daily average number of women in prison(a) in 1980, (b) in 1985 and (c) in the latest year for which figures are available.

Mr. Mellor

The average number of females in prison service establishments in England and Wales, including those held in police cells, was 1,536 in 1980, 1,540 in 1985 and 1,768 in 1989. This information is published annually in "Prison Statistics England and Wales" (table 1.5 of the latest report (Cm 825)), copies of which are in the Library.

Mr. Grocott

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average weekly cost per inmate of running a women's prison.

Mr. Mellor

The average weekly cost per inmate in a female establishment during 1988–89 (the latest year for which information is available) was £399.