§ Mr. Quentin DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of prisoners released in each of the last 20 years from prisons in the United Kingdom has subsequently received further custodial sentences; what proportion of those starting a prison term in 1991, or the latest year for which statistics are available, had previously served a custodial sentence; and whether he will give consideration to including recidivism rates in future issues of criminal statistics.
§ Mr. Peter LloydThe readily available information on further custodial sentences relates to the proportion of prisoners (excluding fine defaulters and non-criminal prisoners) released from prison service establishments in England and Wales who are committed to custody under sentence within two years of discharge. It is published annually in Prison statistics, England and Wales. Tables 9.3, 9.7 and 9.10 of the 1989 issue (Cm. 1221) provide information for those prisoners discharged in 1976–86, and tables 8.2, 8.4 and 8.6 of the 1978 issue (Cm. 7626) provide information for those prisoners discharged in 1971–75 (Cm. 7626).
Provisional figures show that 21 per cent. of those received into prison service establishments in 1991 under an immediate custodial sentence were known to have served a previous custodial sentence. However, this represents 46 per cent. of such prisoners for whom information about previous custodial sentences was available.
330Wbeen detained for one month or more. Figures in brackets relate to in-country applications. The remainder will have claimed asylum on arrival.
The offenders index yields information on criminal careers; more general reconviction rates can be found in Home Office Statistical Bulletins 35/87 Criminal careers of those born in 1953: persistent offenders and desistance (tables 2, 3, 9 and 10), 32/89 Criminal and custodial careers of those born in 1953, 1958 and 1963 (tables 2, 4, 5 and 7) and 21/91 Life licensees and restricted offenders reconvictions: England and Wales 1989 (tables 1 and 2) copies of which are in the Library.