§ Mr. LlwydTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on trends in the prison population in the United Kingdom since 1996. [44257]
§ Ms QuinThe prison population in England and Wales rose by 11 per cent. over the 12 months to 6 June 1997, when it stood at 60,850, and 8 per cent. over the last 12 months to 5 June 1998, when it stood at 65,434.
Trends in the prison populations for Scotland and Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Northern Ireland.