§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the daily average number of remand prisoners and convicted prisoners held in police cells in each year since 1980 and in the current year to the latest available date.
§ Mr. Peter LloydResponsibility 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.
557WLetter from A. J. Butler to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 14 February 1994:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question asking what was the daily average number of remand prisoners and convicted prisoners held in police cells in each of the years 1980 to 1993 inclusive, and in the current year to the latest available date.The information you have requested is available for annual averages, calculated from the population figures for the last day of each month, which are given in the attached table. In 1981–1987 all prisoners held in police cells are assumed to be remand prisoners. For other years estimates have been made of the numbers held on remand and under sentence. Statistics on the number of prisoners held in police cells are published in table 1.5 of "Prison statistics, England and Wales".
Average population in police cells by type of custody 1980–19941 Year Remand Sentenced Total 1980 645 195 845 1981 125 — 125 1982 47 — 47 1983 310 — 310 1984 54 — 54 1985 45 — 45 1986 119 — 119 1987 537 — 537 1988 982 95 1,077 1989 103 7 110 1990 465 196 661 1991 682 406 1,088 1992 715 383 1,098 1993 13 1 14 21994 9 0 9 1 In 1981 to 1987 all prisoners held in police cells are assumed to be remand prisoners. For other years estimates have been made of the numbers held on remand and under sentence. Averages are calculated using the population figures for the last day of each month. 2 31 January.
§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current average cost by police force of keeping a prisoner in police cells, per night.
§ Mr. Peter LloydResponsibility 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 A. J. Butler to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 14 February 1994:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question requesting information about the current average cost by police force of keeping a prisoner in police cells, per night.As prisoners have only been held by the Greater Manchester police during November and December, and more recently by two additional forces, Humberside and South Yorkshire in February, not accounts have been received. I am therefore unable to provide this information at present.
§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost incurred by his Department for keeping prisoners, both sentenced and remand, in police cells for the financial year 1992–93.
§ Mr. Peter LloydResponsibility 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.
558WLetter from A. J. Butler to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 14 February 1994:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question requesting information about the total cost incurred by the Prison Service for keeping prisoners, both sentenced and remand, in police cells for the financial year 1992–93.The total expenditure on keeping prisoners, both sentenced and remand, in polce cells for the financial year 1992–93 was £9,974,035. Further accounts relating to 1992–93, totalling £1,217,763 are under consideration.