HC Deb 30 November 1995 vol 267 cc892-3W
Mr. Bennett

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were in prison for the latest date for which figures are available. [1359]

Miss Widdecombe

On Monday 20 November, a total of 52,297 prisoners were in custody in England and Wales.

Mr Redmond

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in(a) category A and (b) each sub-category of category A are currently held in prisons in England and Wales. [2472]

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 Alan Walker to Mr. Martin Redmond, dated 30 November 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 number of prisoners in category A and each sub-category of category A held in prisons in England and Wales.

On 24 November 1995 there were 823 category A prisoners held in prisons in England and Wales with the following escape risk classifications:

Classification Number of prisoners
Exceptional risk 16
High risk 157
Standard risk 650