§ Lord Richardasked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the average number of prisoners held in police and court cells in 1988, 1989 and 1990 respectively;
How many sentence and remand prisoners were being held by each police force in England and Wales on the most recent date for which figures are available;
What was the total cost of holding remand prisoners in police cells (i) in 1990 and (ii) so far this year;
What is the average cost, (i) per night (ii) per week, of keeping a prisoner in a police cell.
Earl FerrersThe daily average number of prisoners held in police and court cells for the periods in question was as follows:
Number 1988 1,103 1989 117 1990 969 On Tuesday, 23rd July, the latest date for which figures are available, a total of 1,174 prisoners were being held in police cells by police forces throughout England and Wales as follows:
64WA
Number Avon and Somerset 37 Bedfordshire 9 Cambridgeshire 11
Number Cheshire 38 Devon and Cornwall 22 Dyfed Powys 19 Durham 9 Essex 35 Gloucestershire 10 Greater Manchester 221 Gwent 28 Hereford and Worcester 10 Hertfordshire 10 Humberside 20 Kent 22 Lancashire 76 Merseyside 47 Metropolitan 214 Northumbria 46 North Wales 9 Nottingham 9 South Wales 64 South Yorkshire 34 Surrey 7 Sussex 23 West Midlands 44 West Yorkshire 100 I regret that it is not possible to provide a breakdown between remand and other classes of prisoners held in police cells. The total cost for holding prisoners in police cells during the financial year ending 31st March 1991, was £53.5 million. The cost for this financial year to date is £17.5 million. The average cost of keeping prisoners in a police cell is £220 per night or £1,540 per week.