§ Dr. SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been released for each year since 1969 after serving sentences of life imprisonment for murder; and how many have reoffended.
§ Mr. MacleanThe available information is drawn from the offenders index and is shown in the following table.
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Table: Persons first released on life Licence1 after a conviction of murder, 1972–1991, and the number of these who have been reconvicted of a 'standard list'2 offence by the end of 1991 Year Number of persons first released Number of those released who were reconvicted by end 1991 Total 1972–91 1,068 229 1972 23 7 1973 25 10 1974 34 6 1975 37 14 1976 59 21
Year Number of persons first released Number of those released who were reconvicted by end 1991 1977 50 16 1978 73 20 1979 64 21 1980 31 11 1981 60 16 1982 82 26 1983 86 17 1984 54 10 1985 54 11 1986 40 5 1987 48 8 1988 57 4 1989 71 6 1990 64 — 1991 56 — 1 More information is published annually in a Home Office Statistical Bulletin, the most recent being HOSB 3/93, Life Licensees and restricted offenders reconvictions: England and Wales 1990. 2 Mainly indictable offences but includes some summary offences such as assault on a constable and cruelty to or neglect of children.
§ Dr. SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which persons sentenced to life imprisonment for murder have themselves been murdered either in prison or after release since 1969.
§ 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 Mr. D. Lewis to Dr. Robert Spink, dated 13 January 1994:
INMATES SENTENCED TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT WHO HAVE THEMSELVES BEEN MURDERED
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about which persons sentenced to life imprisonment for murder have themselves been murdered either in prison or after release since 1969.
The information available from centrally held records relates only to deaths in custody from 1988 to date. One such death in 1993 was found at the coroner's court to be an unlawful killing and is still under investigation. There were no others during the period 1988 to 1992.