HC Deb 09 January 1996 vol 269 cc186-7W
Mr. Beith

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the percentage change in the prison population for each year since 1979; what estimate his department has made of the change in the prison population over the next five years; and if he will make a statement. [7390]

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. Pearson to Mr. Alan Beith, dated 9 January 1996: 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 percentage change in the prison population for each year since 1979 and what estimate has been made of the change in the prison population over the next five years. The percentage changes in the prison population are shown in the attached table. The most recent short-term projection of the prison population gives a projection for 1996 of 52,900. The most recent long term projections are given in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin Issue 4/95 "Projections of Long Term Trends in the Prison Population to 2002", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. The next annual update of these projections will be published in the Spring.

Percentage change in the prison population1 on the previous year
Year Percentage change
1979 +1.0
1980 +2.1
1981 +0.8
1982 +0.7
1983 0.0
1984 -1.0
1985 +6.8
1986 +1.3

Percentage change in the prison population1 on the previous year
year percentage change
1987 +4.4
1988 +2.0
1989 -2.7
1990 -6.1
1991 +0.6
1992 -0.2
1993 -2.7
1994 +9.5
1 Population includes persons held in police cells.

Mr. Alex Carlile

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total female prison

Female prison population1 by type of prisoner, 31 December2 each year
Year Untried Prisoners on remand Convicted unsentenced All remanded Adults Sentenced prisoners Young offenders All sentenced Non-criminals Total
1985 300 45 345 906 223 1,129 2 1,476
1986 366 54 420 985 221 1,206 4 1,630
1987 400 67 467 1,046 176 1,222 7 1,696
1988 370 73 443 1,085 183 1,268 4 1,215
1989 336 70 406 1,087 144 1,231 0 1,637
1990 267 83 350 966 136 1,102 3 1,455
1991 284 62 346 992 154 1,146 7 1,499
1992 213 86 299 939 115 1,054 0 1,353
1993 295 93 388 1,013 134 1,147 38 1,573
1994 330 126 456 1,120 172 1,292 24 1,772

Notes:

1Population includes 57 prisoners held in police cells in December 1986 who are assumed to be untried prisoners.

2 Prison population at the end of the year is decreased by seasonal factors.

Source:

Prison Statistics England and Wales for years 1985 to 1993.