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Prisons (Suicides)
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in (a) prison establishments and (b) police custody have (i) committed and (ii) attempted suicide in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [27446]
Miss Widdecombe: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. Elfyn Llwyd, dated 2 May 1996:
"Self-inflected" deaths includes deaths where other inquest verdicts, such as "open" and "misadventure" have been recorded.
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The statistics provided represent those deaths whereby the Inquest has been held and the verdict given as "Death due to Suicide".
(8) Figures recorded on a financial year basis.
(9) Provisional figure.
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about suicides.
The attached tables give the number of self-inflicted deaths in Prison Service establishments, in England and Wales (1985-1995); the number of reported incidents of attempted suicides (1991-1995); and the number of suicides in police custody (1985-1995). Numbers of attempted suicides in police custody are not held centrally. Numbers of attempted suicides in prison establishments were not held centrally before 1991.
Number
1991 676
1992 731
1993 818
1994 847
1995 772
Number
1985 27
1986 21
1987 46
1988 37
1989 48
1990 50
1991 42
1992 42
1993 47
1994 62
1995 60
England and Wales (excluding Metropolitan police) Metropolitan police
1985 2 1
1986 2 2
1987 1 1
1988 4 1
1989 3 4
1990 0 3
1991 10 --
1991-92(8) -- 2
1992 3 --
1992-93(8) -- 2
1993 3 --
1993-94(8) -- 1
1994 3 --
1994-95(8) -- (9)1
Video Evidence
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the Home Office advisory group's recommendations on video evidence; and if he will make a statement. [27563]
Mr. Maclean: The Criminal Justice Act 1991 implemented most of the recommendations of the advisory group on video evidence. In particular, it prohibited the defendant from questioning the child and it allowed the child's main evidence to be given by means of a video-recorded interview conducted by police and social workers soon after the incident. We are
2 May 1996 : Column: 595
not persuaded that video recording of pre-trial cross-examination, also recommended by the group, would be in the best interests of children.
The Government remain determined that the criminal justice system should be made more responsive to the needs of children and that the measures introduced by the 1991 Act should work as effectively as possible. We are pursuing a range of further improvements to the present arrangements to secure practical benefits for children.
Greater Manchester Police
Mr. Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list (a) the capital spending by Greater Manchester police in (i) 1993-94, (ii) 1994-95, (iii) 1995-96 and (b) the estimated and projected spending in (x) 1996-97 and (y) 1997-98 in (1) cash terms and (2) 1996 prices; and if he will make a statement. [27537]
Mr. Maclean: The information is listed in the table.
| 1993-94 | 1994-95 | (10)1995-96 | (10)1996-97 | (11)1997-98 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash terms £ million | 11.407 | 11.774 | 14.305 | 13.845 | 18.619 |
| 1996 prices £ million | 12.265 | 12.430 | 14.968 | 13.845 | 18.619 |
(10) Force estimate.
(11) Force projection.
Wheel Clamping
Mr. Rooney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for legislation following the consultation exercise on wheel clamping. [27878]
Mr. Maclean: The Government are still considering what action, if any, should be taken to regulate wheel clamping on private land. We are looking at the possible need for new legislation as part of that consideration.
Police Cells
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effect of the reduction in capital expenditure in his Department during the current financial year on the use of police cells; and if he will make a statement. [26671]
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 29 April 1996]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. Alex Carlile, dated 2 May 1996:
2 May 1996 : Column: 596
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about whether an assessment has been made on the effect the reduction in capital expenditure during the current financial year will have on the use of police cells.
An assessment of the effect of the reduction in capital expenditure was made in December 1996. This work concluded that there was no significant increase in the risk of having to resort to the use of police cells in 1996-97.
The Prison Service has not been using police cells since June 1995. Apart from a major unplanned loss of accommodation or an unexpected rise in the population above current projections, and above our capacity to accommodate with other measures, we do not plan to use police cells.
Capital Expenditure
Mr. Straw: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list (a) total capital expenditure for his Department and (b) capital expenditure on (i) the Prison Service, (ii) police and (iii) other Department functions indicting the expenditure planned for each of the following three financial years set out in the public expenditure surveys for 1991-92 and each subsequent year together with estimated outturns where these are available. [26035]
Mr. Howard [holding answer 24 April 1996]: Information in the form requested is not available.
Capital spending by the Home Department has been as follows:
| Year | Prison service | Police | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991-92 | 431.7 | 193.7 | 85.6 | 711.0 |
| 1992-93 | 342.7 | 221.4 | 102.6 | 666.7 |
| 1993-94 | 294.0 | 243.6 | 112.9 | 650.5 |
| 1994-95 | 322.8 | 242.5 | 96.6 | 661.9 |
| 1995-96(12) | 327.7 | 252.5 | 92.6 | 672.8 |
| 1996-97(12) | 120.0 | 224.7 | 85.4 | 431.1 |
| 1997-98(12) | 111.5 | 220.3 | 82.9 | 414.7 |
| 1998-99(12) | 113.6 | 200.8 | 81.7 | 396.1 |
1. The data are standardised by including expenditure for services which are the current responsibility of the Home Office.
2. The figures for "Police" and "Other" include capital grants and credit approvals to local authorities.
3. Capital expenditure by the Charity Commission is omitted.
4. "Police" expenditure includes expenditure by the Forensic Science Service agency. "Other" includes expenditure by the United Kingdom Passport Agency and the Fire Service College trading fund.
(12) Actual expenditure is given for years up to 1994-95; estimates for 1995-96; public expenditure survey projections for later years.
Prisoners (Television Sets)
Mr. Alex Carlile: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to remove television sets from (a) sentenced and (b) remand prisoners; and if he will make a statement. [26672]
Mr. Howard [holding answer 29 April 1996]: Policy on this subject is still under consideration.
Eastwood Park Prison
Mr. George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those courts which fall into the catchment area of HMP Eastwood Park, and those which previously were in the catchment area of Pucklechurch remand centre; if he will list for each court the number of prisoners by offence (a) remand in custody, and unconvicted, (b) remanded to custody following conviction, but unsentenced, (c) sentenced prisoners in each year since 1990 and (d) the number of cases brought before each court by offence in each year since 1990. [27235]
Miss Widdecombe [holding answer 29 April 1996]: Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange a reply to be given.
2 May 1996 : Column: 597
Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. George Howarth, dated 2 May 1996:
2 May 1996 : Column: 598
2 May 1996 : Column: 599
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the Office, to reply to your recent Question about Eastwood Park and Pucklechurch prisons.
The courts which commit female prisoners to Eastwood Park prison are given in the attached list and are the same as those which commit to Pucklechurch remand centre.
The information requested about remand prisoners at each court is not available centrally.
Information on the number of indicatable cases heard at each court is published annually in criminal statistics supplementary tables. Crown court information by centre is given in Volume 2 and magistrates' courts by individual Petty Sessional Division are in Volume 5 and Volume 4 from 1991 to 1994 (latest available). Copies of these volumes are available in the Library.
The information requested for each court by offence could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Crown Court
Barnstaple
Bristol
Dorchester
Exeter
Gloucester
Plymouth
Salisbury
Swindon and Devizes
Taunton
Truro
Cardiff
Carmarthen
Haverfordwest
Merthyr Tydfil
Newport
Swansea
Magistrates' Courts
Bath and Wansdyke Division
Bristol Division
North Avon Division
Woodspring Division
Bodmin Division
Dunheved and Stratton Division
East Powder Division
South East Cornwall Division
East Penwirth Division
Falmouth and Kerrier Division
Isles of Scilly Division
Truro Division
Truro and South Powder Division
Axminster and Honiton Division
Cullompton Division
Exeter and Wonford Division
Exmouth Division
Tiverton Division
Barnstaple and South Molton Division
Bideford and Great Torrington Division
Plymouth Division
South Hams Division
Teignbridge Division
Torbay Division
Central Dorset Division
Poole Division
West Dorset Division
Weymouth and Portland Division
Cirencester, Fairford and Tetbury Division
Forest of Dean Division
Gloucester Division
North Gloucestershire Division
South Gloucestershire Division
Bromsgrove and Redditch Division
Herefordshire Division
Severminster Division
South Worcestershire Division
Mendip Division
Sedgemoor Division
South Somerset Division
Taunton Deane Division
West Somerset Division
Atherstone and Coleshill Division
Nuneaton Division
Mid-Warwickshrie Division
Rugby Division
Kennet Division
North Wiltshire Division
Salisbury Division
Swindon Division
West Wiltshire Division
Carmarthen North Division
Carmarthen South Division
Ceredigion Ganol Division
Gogledd Ceridigion Division
Gogledd Preseli Division
Cleddau Division
De Ceredigion Division
South Pembrokeshire Division
Dinefwr Division
Llanelli Division
Bedwellty Division
East Gwent Division
Newport Division
Cynon Valley Division
Lower Rhymney Valley Division
Merthyr Tydfil Division
Miskin Division
Newcastle and Ogmore Division
Upper Rhymney Valley Division
Brecon Division
Radnorshire and North Brecknock Division
Ystradgynlais Division
Machynlleth Division
Newtown Division
Welshpool Division
Cardiff Division
Vale of Glamorgan Division
Port Talbot Division
Lliw Valley Division
Neath Division
Swansea Division
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