§ Mr. GunnellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the total numbers of prisoners in custody in England and Wales, on(a) 1 June 1979, (b) 1 June 1983, (c) 1 June 1987 and (d) 1 April 1992, and on the latest date for which figures are available.
§ 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 Derek Lewis to Mr. John Gunnell, dated 24 March 1994:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking what were the total number of prisoners in custody in England and Wales, on (a) 1st June 1979, (b) 1st June 1983, (c) 1st June 1987 and (d) 1st April 1992, and on the latest date for which figures are available.The readily available information for the historical prison population is for the last day of each month. It is given in the attached table for the day preceding the date requested and for Tuesday 22 March 1994.
Prison population in England and Wales: 1979–94 Date Number of persons1 31 May 1979 42,369 31 May 1983 43,473 31 May 1987 49,255 31 March 1992 47,746 22 March 1994 48,378 1Includes prisoners held in police cells.
§ Mr. GunnellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the total numbers of prisoners in custody in England and Wales on the first day of each month from May 1992 until the latest month for which figures are available.
§ 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 Derek Lewis to Mr. John Gunnell, dated 24 March 1994.
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question asking what were the total numbers of prisoners in custody in England and Wales, on the first day of each month from May 1992 until the latest month for which figures are available.The readily available information for the historical prison population is for the last day of each month. It is given in the attached table for the day preceding the date requested and for Tuesday 22 March 1994.346W
Prison population including those held in police cells, England and Wales, April 1992—March 1994 Last day of each month Total population 1992 April 47,738 May 46,696 June 46,832 July 46,875 August 46,350
Last day of each month Total population September 45,835 October 43,905 November 43,064 December 40,606 1993 January 41,561 February 42,882 March 43,195 April 43,391 May 43,585 June 44,246 July 44,830 August 45,633 September 46,211 October 46,886 November 47,153 December 45,214 1994 January 46,902 February 47,945 22 March 48,378