§ 28. Mr. BorrowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the current number of inmates in Her Majesty's prisons and the forecast change over the next 12 months. [48425]
§ Ms QuinThe current prison population is 65,754. If trends which have been observed in recent years continue, the total prison population is expected to average 65,700 during 1999, once the effect of Home Detention Curfew has been taken into account. Home Detention Curfew, as provided for in the Crime and Disorder Bill [Lords], is expected to reduce the prison population by around 3,000 to 4,000 below where it would otherwise be. On this basis, the prison population is expected to be 64,500 at the end of June 1999.