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Prison Population
Mr. Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the percentage change in the prison population for each year since 1979; what estimate his department has made of the change in the prison population over the next five years; and if he will make a statement. [7390]
Miss Widdecombe: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. Alan Beith, dated 9 January 1996:
(67) Population includes persons held in police cells.
9 Jan 1996 : Column: 187
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question asking what was the percentage change in the prison population for each year since 1979 and what estimate has been made of the change in the prison population over the next five years.
The percentage changes in the prison population are shown in the attached table.
The most recent short-term projection of the prison population gives a projection for 1996 of 52,900. The most recent long term projections are given in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin Issue 4/95 "Projections of Long Term Trends in the Prison Population to 2002", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. The next annual update of these projections will be published in the Spring.
Year Percentage change
1979 + 1.0
1980 + 2.1
1981 + 0.8
1982 + 0.7
1983 0.0
1984 - 1.0
1985 + 6.8
1986 + 1.3
1987 + 4.4
1988 + 2.0
1989 - 2.7
1990 - 6.1
1991 + 0.6
1992 - 0.2
1993 - 2.7
1994 + 9.5
Mr. Alex Carlile:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total female prison
9 Jan 1996 : Column: 188
population, by category and in total, on 1 January of each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [7409]
Miss Widdecombe: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A.J. Pearson to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 9 January 1996:
9 Jan 1996 : Column: 187
Notes:
(68) Population includes 57 prisoners held in police cells in December 1986 who are assumed to be untried prisoners.
(69) Prison population at the end of the year is decreased by seasonal factors.
Source:
Prison Statistics England and Wales for years 1985 to 1993.
9 Jan 1996 : Column: 187
9 Jan 1996 : Column: 187
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question asking what was the total female prison population, by category and in total, on 1 January of each of the last 10 years.
Historical prison population statistics are available for the last day of each month. Details of the female prison population by type of prisoner are therefore given in the attached table for 31 December for the years 1985 to 1994.
Prisoners on remand Sentenced prisoners
Year Untried Convicted unsentenced All remanded Adults Young offenders All sentenced Non-criminals Total
1985 300 45 345 906 223 1,129 2 1,476
1986 366 54 420 985 221 1,206 4 1,630
1987 400 67 467 1,046 176 1,222 7 1,696
1988 370 73 443 1,085 183 1,268 4 1,215
1989 336 70 406 1,087 144 1,231 0 1,637
1990 267 83 350 966 136 1,102 3 1,455
1991 284 62 346 992 154 1,146 7 1,499
1992 213 86 299 939 115 1,054 0 1,353
1993 295 93 388 1,013 134 1,147 38 1,573
1994 330 126 456 1,120 172 1,292 24 1,772
Abnormal Loads
Mr. Home Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many abnormal loads involving railway locomotives and rolling stock have been notified to police authorities for escort on roads since the introduction of rail charges by Railtrack; and how many such loads were notified during the equivalent period before that date. [7736]
Mr. Maclean: The information requested is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Knives
Mr. Callaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends to take to control the sale of knives. [7650]
Mr. Maclean: The sale of a variety of knives and other weapons which include bladed or pointed components is prohibited under the Restriction of Offensive Weapons Act 1959 and section 141 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988. My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to restrict the sale of knives in general. He will consider adding to the list of prohibited items any bladed item which has no legitimate use and which includes some feature which enables it to be defined in law in such a way as to distinguish it from knives which have legitimate uses.
9 Jan 1996 : Column: 188
Firearms Certificates
Mr. Coe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of firearm and shotgun certificates at present in force in Falmouth and Camborne. [7375]
Mr. Maclean: I understand from the Devon and Cornwall police that the number of firearms and shotgun certificates at present in force in the Falmouth and Camborne area is as follows:
Firearm certificates: 404
Shotgun certificates: 1,427.
Ex-prisoners' Accommodation
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the residential institutions for ex-prisoners which his Department (a) funds in full and (b) funds in part; and if he will make a statement; [7336]
- (2) what was the total expenditure on residential institutions for ex-prisoners for each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [7337]
Mr. Sackville: Probation committees are now responsible for grants to the voluntary and private sectors to support the provision of accommodation for offenders,
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including released prisoners, with the exception of the Langley House Trust which continues for the time being to receive a grant directly from the Home Office. Total grants have been as follows:
1992-92: £7.4 million
1992-93: £8.4 million
1993-94: £9.8 million
1994-95: £10.1 million
1995-96: £10.0 million.
1991-92: £18.2 million
1992-93: £24.3 million
1993-94: £26.2 million
1994-95: £23.3 million
1995-96: £24.3 million.
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Custody Costs
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average cost per week of custody for each category of prisoner for each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [7368]
Miss Widdecombe: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
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