§ Mr. Mike O'BrienTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cells holding one prisoner in 1992–93 currently hold more than one prisoner. [28109]
§ 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 Derek Lewis to Mr. Mike O'Brien, dated 14 June 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the number of cells holding one prisoner in 1992–93 which currently hold more than one prisoner.The information requested is not available centrally.However, in 1992–93 the average total prison population in England and Wales was 43,903. The average number of prisoners sharing a cell designed for one was 7,727, 17.6% of the total population. On 26 May 1995, the total prison population in England and Wales was 50,802. The number of prisoners sharing a cell designed for one was 8,362, 16.5% of the total population.