HC Deb 26 February 2001 vol 363 cc493-4W
Miss Widdecombe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults by prisoners on(a) staff, (b) prisoners and (c) other people took place in prisons and resulted in a positive disciplinary adjudication in (i) 1996–97, (ii) 1997–98, (iii) 1998–99, (iv) 1999–2000, and (v) the period since 1 April 2000; how many prisoners and what percentage of the average prison population during the relevant period this represented; and if he will make a statement. [151212]

Mr. Boateng

Data for positive assault adjudications for the years in question are set out in the table. Data since 1 April 2000 are provisional and subject to validation.

Assaults on prisoners Rate of assaults on prisoners (%) Assaults on staff/others Rate of assaults on staff/others (%)
1996–97 2,747 4.8 2,531 4.5
1997–98 3,004 4.8 2,857 4.6
1998–99 3,131 4.8 2,998 4.6
1999–2000 3,457 5.3 3,010 4.7
April 2000— January 20001 3,248 5.0 3,050 4.7
1 Data since April 2000 are annualised.

The Prison Service does not collect data on assaults on staff and others separately. Data on assaults have been previously published in Her Majesty's Prison Service Corporate Plan 1999–2000 to 2001–02, Her Majesty's Prison Service Annual Reports and Accounts 1998–99 (HC 748) and Her Majesty's Prison Service Annual Reports and Accounts 1999–2000 (HC 622). Her Majesty's Prison Service Corporate Plan for 2001–02 to 2003–04 is available in the Library.

Miss Widdecombe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults by prisoners, expressed as a percentage of the average prison population, occurred on(a) staff (b) prisoners and (c) other people and resulted in positive disciplinary adjudication in (i) all prisons, (ii) local male prisons and (iii) young offender institutions in (A) 1996–97, (B) 1998–99 (C) 1999–2000 and (D) the period since April 2000; and if he will make a statement. [151213]

Mr. Boateng

Data for positive assault adjudications for the years in question are set out in the tables. Data since 1 April 2000 are provisional and subject to validation. The Prison Service does not collect data on assaults on staff and others separately. For completeness, the year 1997–98 is included.

All prisons
Assaults on prisoners Rate of assaults on prisoners (%) Assaults on staff/others Rate of assaults on staff/others (%)
1996–97 2,747 4.8 2,531 4.5
1997–98 3,004 4.8 2,857 4.6
1998–99 3,131 4.8 2,998 4.6
1999–2000 3,457 5.3 3,010 4.7
April 2000— January 20001 3,248 5.0 3,050 4.7
1 Data since April 2000 are annualised.
Male locals
Assaults on prisoners Rate of assaults on prisoners (%) Assaults on staff/others Rate of assaults on staff/others (%)
1996–97 764 3.8 1,150 5.7
1997–98 948 4.2 1,379 6.1
1998–99 1,064 3.9 1,474 5.4
1999–2000 1,070 4.0 1,378 5.1
April 2000– January 20001 902 3.5 1,188 4.6
1 Data since April 2000 are annualised.
Young offender institutions
Assaults on prisoners Rate of assaults on prisoners (%) Assaults on staff/others Rate of assaults on staff/others (%)
1996–97 934 16.0 319 5.5
1997–98 1,297 23.7 529 9.7
1998–99 1,183 16.9 599 8.6
1999–2000 1,359 20.0 698 10.3
April 2000— January 20001 1,604 20.9% 878 11.4%
1 Data since April 2000 are annualised.

Note:

Young offender institutions include open, closed and juvenile establishments.