Remand Prisoners (Hansard, 11 December 1995)

§ Mr. Alex Carlile
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many female remand prisoners in each year since 1991 were single mothers; how many of these subsequently received a custodial sentence in each year since 1991; and if he will make a statement. [4300]

§ Miss Widdecombe
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 11 December 1995: The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question asking how many female remand prisoners were single mothers; how many of these subsequently received a custodial sentence in each year since 1991; and if he will make a statement. No information is held centrally on this subject. However, a study of mothers in prison was conducted in November 1994 by the Home Office Research and Planning Unit. 470 remanded women (unconvicted and unsentenced) were interviewed. Of these, 75 (16 per cent) were single mothers. No information is available about the number of remanded single mothers who subsequently received a custodial sentence.

§ Mr. Carlile
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time spent on remand in custody by(a) male and (b) female defendants before trial in each year since 1991; and if he will make a statement. [4299]

§ Miss Widdecombe
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
498W
Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 11 December 1995: The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the average time spent on remand in custody by (a) male and (b) female defendants before trial in each year since 1991. This information was provided in a written answer to Mr Jim Cunningham MP (Coventry South East) on 5 December (Col 210).

§ Mr. Carlile
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of the prison population in England and Wales who had not been sentenced to imprisonment but were awaiting(a) trial or sentencing, (b) trial and (c) sentencing on 1 January 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994 respectively; and if he will make a statement. [4297]

§ Missz Widdecombe
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 11 December 1995: The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the total number of the prison population in England and Wales who had not been sentenced to imprisonment but were awaiting (a) trial or sentencing, (b) trial and (c) sentencing on the 1st January 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1994 respectively. The available information relates to the remand population in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales on the last day of the month. Information has therefore been provided in the attached table for 31 December in all years since 1990.

Population of untried and convicted unsentenced prisoners in prison service establishments¹ England and Wales on 31 December 1990–1994

On 31 December Untried Convicted unsentenced All remand

1990 7,444 1,598 9,042

1991 8,184 1,697 9,881

1992 6,718 1,772 8,490

1993 8,388 2,375 10,763

1994 8,771 2,709 11,480

¹Includes those held in police cells.The population at the end of the year is depressed by the christmas/new year holiday; the magnitude and timing of the temporary effect can vary from year to year.

§ Mr. Carlile
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of(a) male, (b) female and (c) all remand prisoners on the 1 January of each year since 1991; how many in each case (i) did and (ii) did not receive a custodial sentence; and if he will make a statement. [4309]

§ Miss Widdecombe
Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter front A. J. Butler to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 11 December 1995: 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 total number of (a) male, (b) female and (c) all remand prisoners on the 1st January of each year since 1991; how many in each case (i) did and (ii) did not receive a custodial sentence. 499W The available information relates to the remand population in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales on the last day of the month. Information has therefore been provided in the attached table for 31 December in each year since 1990. Information on the outcome at court for these prisoners is not available. Details of the outcome at court for remand receptions are given in table 2.5 of the 1993 edition of "Prison Statistics, England and Wales", Cm 2893, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

Population of untried and convicted unsentenced prisoners in prison service establishments¹ England and Wales on 31 December 1990–1994
On 31 December	Untried	Convicted unsentenced	All remand
1990	7,444	1,598	9,042
1991	8,184	1,697	9,881
1992	6,718	1,772	8,490
1993	8,388	2,375	10,763
1994	8,771	2,709	11,480
¹Includes those held in police cells.The population at the end of the year is depressed by the christmas/new year holiday; the magnitude and timing of the temporary effect can vary from year to year.