HC Deb 17 May 2004 vol 421 cc766-7W
Mr. Maude

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were sentenced in England and Wales for driving with excess alcohol, excluding those causing death or serious injury, in each of the last 10 years; how many of those received a custodial sentence; and what the average custodial sentence length was. [169087]

Paul Goggins

The available information is contained in the table and relates to persons sentenced for offences of driving etc after consuming alcohol or taking drugs.

It is not possible in the statistics collected centrally to exclude those offences where serious injury is caused, but the figures exclude persons sentenced for the specific offence of 'causing death by careless driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs'.

Number of persons1 sentenced at all courts for offences relating to driving etc after consuming alcohol or taking drugs, those sentenced to custody and the average custodial sentence length, England and Wales 1993–2002 Driving etc after consuming alcohol or taking drugs
Driving etc after consuming alcohol or taking drugs
1993
Total sentenced 80,926
Custodial sentence 2.575
Average sentence length (months) 3.1
1994
Total sentenced 78.038
Custodial sentence 3.243
Average sentence length (months) 3.2
1995
Total sentenced 81.474
Custodial sentence 3,443
Average sentence length (months) 3.1
1996
Total sentenced 85.010
Custodial sentence 3,529
Average sentence length (months) 3.1
Number of persons1 sentenced at all courts for offences relating to driving etc after consuming alcohol or taking drugs, those sentenced to custody and the average a custodial sentence length, England and Wales 1993–2002 Driving etc after consuming alcohol or taking drugs
Driving etc after consuming alcohol or taking drugs
1997
Total sentenced 89.271
Custodial sentence 4,065
Average sentence length (months) 3.0
1998
Total sentenced 83.092
Custodial sentence 3.754
Average sentence length (months) 3.0
1999
Total sentenced 79.524
Custodial sentence 3.653
Average sentence length (months) 3.0
2000
Total sentenced 76.779
Custodial sentence 3.465
Average sentence length (months) 3.1
2001
Total sentenced 76.113
Custodial sentence 3.475
Average sentence length (months) 3.0
2002
Total sentenced 81.444
Custodial sentence 3,290
Average sentence length (months) 3.2

Statistics on court proceedings for 2003 will be published in the autumn.

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