§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time spent in prison on remand by those(a) under the age of 25 years and (b) of all ages; what percentage of those people are found guilty and given custodial sentences; what is the average age of remand prisoners; what plans he has to review the system of remand; and if he will make a statement. [81260]
§ Mr. George HowarthProvisional information on the estimated average number of days in custody for untried and convicted unsentenced prisoners held in prisons in England and Wales in 1998, by age, is given in the table. During 1998, the average age of all untried prisoners was 29 years, whilst for all convicted unsentenced prisoners it was 27 years.
The available information on the numbers remanded to custody that subsequently received a custodial sentence is for 1997 and shows that 42 per cent. of all persons remanded were sentenced to immediate custody. This information is published in "Criminal statistics England and Wales" (table 8.8 of the 1997 edition), a copy of which is in the Library.
Remand decisions are a matter for the courts in the exercise of their judicial discretion in accordance with the Bail Act 1976. We have no plans to alter the present arrangements.
420Waccess to polling places for the years from 1994–95 to 1998–99 and, separately, grants provided for polling screens adapted for use by disabled voters. These latter figures are available separately only for 1997–98 and 1998–99. There is no limit on the level of grants provided for these purposes and local authorities are actively encouraged to apply for them.
Estimated average time spent in custody for untried and convicted unsentenced prisoners in prisons in England and Wales in 1998, by age1 Estimated average number of days in custody2 Age unsentenced3 Untried4 Convicted Aged under 25 years 39 37 All ages 46 38 1 Provisional figures 2Estimated from number of receptions and average population Time spent in Prison Service establishments after conviction 3Time spent in Prison Service establishments after conviction 4Time spent in Prison Service establishments before conviction