HC Deb 20 December 1994 vol 251 c1205W
Mr. Beith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those prisoners serving sentences who have spent time unlawfully at large during the past five years were at large for(a) 24 hours, (b) seven days, (c) 30 days and (d) more than 30 days.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. A. J. Beith, dated 20 December 1994: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking how many of those prisoners serving sentences who have spent time unlawfully at large during the past five years were at large for (a) 24 hours (b) seven days (c) thirty days and (d) more than thirty days. I am afraid that this information is not collected centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Beith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those prisoners serving sentences who have spent time unlawfully at large during the last five years(a) returned to custody voluntarily, (b) were reapprehended by the police and other agencies of the law and (c) are still at large.

Mr. Michael Forsyth

Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from Derek Lewis to Mr. A. J. Beith, dated 20 December 1994: The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking how many of those prisoners serving sentences who have spent time unlawfully at large during the last five years (a) returned to custody voluntarily (b) were reapprehended by the police and other agencies of the law and (c) are still at large. I regret that this information is not collected centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.