§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of suicides in prisons in each year since 1979; and if he will give in each case the prison in which the suicide occurred and the age of the prisoner.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythResponsibility 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 Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 6 February 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 has been the number of suicides in prisons in each year since 1979 giving in each case the prison and the age of the prisoner.Table A gives the number of self-inflicted deaths in prison establishments in England and Wales from 1988 in each case showing the name of the establishment and age of the prisoner. The Coroner's verdict is also shown as not all self-inflicted deaths result in a "suicide" verdict.Table B gives the number of self-inflicted deaths in prison establishments in England and Wales for 1979 to 1987 and the total number of suicide verdicts.A copy of these tables have been placed in the Library of the House.Detailed records were not stored centrally before 1988 and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.