HC Deb 29 June 1995 vol 262 cc763-5W
Ms Short

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) women and (b) men are currently imprisoned as a result of conviction for (i) murder and (ii) manslaughter; and how many of these offences in each case related to the killing of a partner of the opposite sex. [31270]

Mr. Michael Forsyth

Responsibility 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. Pearson to Ms Short, dated 29 June 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 (a) women and (b) men are currently imprisoned as a result of conviction for (1) murder and (2) manslaughter; and how many of these offences in each case related to the killing of a partner of the opposite sex. The available information is given in the attached tables.

Population under sentence for murder or manslaughter1. Prison Service establishments England and Wales, 31 December 1994.
Male Female
Murder 2,515 95
Manslaughter 495 40
1 Excludes any prisoners for whom offence is not centrally recorded.

Information about the relationship between the victim and perpetrator is available for those convicted of homicide from 1982. The table below shows the numbers held in Prison Service establishments on 31 December 1994 who had been sentenced since 1 January 1982 and, of those, the numbers where the victim was a spouse, lover or cohabitant of the opposite sex.

Population sentenced since 1 January 1982 for murder or manslaughter1. Prison Service establishments England and Wales, 31 December 1994.
Male Female
Murder 2,021 90
Manslaughter 447 40
Of which, victim was partner of opposite sex.2

Male Female
Murder 292 31
Manslaughter 57 9
1 Excludes any prisoners for whom offence is not centrally recorded.
2 Spouse, lover or cohabitant. The figures are approximate and may include cases where the victim was a relative or acquaintance of the partner.

Ms Short

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a breakdown of the length of custodial sentences imposed on(a) men and (b) women currently in prison who were convicted for manslaughter of a partner of the opposite sex. [31272]

Mr. Forsyth

Responsibility 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. Pearson to Ms Clare Short, dated 29 June 1995: The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question asking if he will publish a breakdown of the length of custodial sentences imposed on (a) men and (b) women currently in prison who were convicted for manslaughter of a partner of the opposite sex. Information about the relationship between the victim and perpetrator of manslaughter is not available for those convicted before 1982. The available information since then is given in the attached table.

Population sentenced since 1 January 1982 for manslaughter1 of partner2 of opposite sex. Prison Service establishments England and Wales, 31 December 1994
Males Females
Sentence length
Under 1 year
1 year under 4 years 1 2
4 years under 7 years 31 7
7 years less than life 12
Life 13
Total 57 9
1 Excludes any prisoners for whom offences is not centrally recorded.
2 Spouse, lover or cohabitant. The figures are approximate and may include cases where the victim was a relative or acquaintance of the partner.