HC Deb 30 June 1994 vol 245 cc647-9W
Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many discretionary life sentence prisoners do not qualify as such for the purposes of the Criminal Justice Act 1991; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

In the case of prisoners sentenced before 1 October 1992, section 34 of the 1991 Act applies where the Secretary of State so certifies under the transitional provisions of the Act. One prisoner was not so certified.

The application of section 34 to prisoners sentenced on or after 1 October 1992 is a matter for the courts. Information on the number of cases where section 34 has not been applied is not available.

The status of prisoners serving a discretionary life sentence who have been transferred to hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983 is currently subject to appeal. Information on the number who may or may not qualify for section 34 provisions could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people sentenced to detention at Her Majesty's pleasure under section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 are currently detained; how many of these are now adults; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Maclean

The latest available information is for 30 April 1994. On that date there were 250 persons, of whom 61 were aged under 21 and 189 were adults, held in England and Wales who had been sentenced to detention at Her Majesty's pleasure under section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act.

Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mandatory life sentence prisoners have been told their tariff dates following the decision of the House of Lords in the case of R.v. Secretary of State for the Home Department ex parte Doody and others; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

As at 27 June 1994, 966 mandatory life sentence prisoners had been informed of their tariff in accordance with the arrangements set out in my right hon. and learned Friend's reply to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Burton (Sir I. Lawrence), on 4 November 1993,Official Report, columns 376–78.

Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases the Home Secretary has increased the tariff period recommended by the judiciary in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The number of cases in which the tariff has been set higher than the period recommended by either the trial judge or the Lord Chief Justice is as follows:

Year Number
11990 57
1991 32
1992 19
1993 4
1Figures available only for August—December.

Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have been permanently or temporarily transferred to Northern Ireland following the interdepartmental working group's review of the provisions for the transfer of prisoners between United Kingdom jurisdictions in 1992; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

Since 1 December 1992, four prisoners have been permanently transferred to Northern Ireland and nine prisoners have been temporarily transferred. In addition, four prisoners previously temporarily transferred have been granted further periods of temporary transfer in Northern Ireland.