§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many persons currently held on remand in gaols in England and Wales have been held for(a) up to six months, (b) exceeding six months but less than 12 months, (c) exceeding six months but less than 18 months, (d) exceeding 18 months but less than 24 months, (e) exceeding 24 months but less than 36 months and (f) more than 36 months;
(2) what assessment he has made of the reasons for the delay in coming to trial for persons held on remand in gaols in England and Wales for periods exceeding 18 months; and to how many cases each reason applies.
§ Mr. Peter Lloyd[holding answer 2 December 1992]: The latest readily available information held currently is given in the table.
Population of untried and convicted unsentenced prisoners in prison service establishments in England and Wales on 30 June 19921: by
length of time since first remand into a prison service establishment.
Length of time since first remanded into a prison service establishment2 Number of Prisoners3 Up to 6 months 8,160 Over 6 up to 12 months 1,190 Over 12 up to 18 months 170 Over 18 months up to 2 years 30 Over 2 up to 3 years 10 Over 3 years — All lengths 9,560 1Excludes 845 prisoners held in police cells. 2Excludes any time spent in non-prison service establishments before reception on remand into a prison service establishment; includes any subsequent time which may have been spent on bail. 3Provisional rounded estimates. I regret that information on the reasons for delay in relation to individual persons who have been held for periods in excess of 18 months is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.