27 Feb 2008 : Column 1714W—continued
Life Imprisonment
Jenny Willott:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of prison sentences handed out were life sentences in each year since 1993; and if he will make a statement. [188946]
Mr. Hanson:
The following table shows the available information which can also be found in table 2.3 of ‘Sentencing Statistics 2006’, available at:
| Persons sentenced to life sentences, 1996 to 2006, England and Wales |
| Number and percentage |
| Custody rate and sentence length | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
|
All offences
| | | | | | | | | | | |
|
Number given immediate custody at all courts
|
85,249
|
93,841
|
100,566
|
105,323
|
106,187
|
106,273
|
111,607
|
107,670
|
106,322
|
101,236
|
96,017
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
|
Life(1)
|
338
|
367
|
394
|
483
|
467
|
503
|
555
|
513
|
570
|
625
|
547
|
|
Proportion (Percentage)
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
(1) Sentences of imprisonment for public protection introduced by the Criminal Justice Act 2003 on 4 April 2005.
|
Offensive Weapons: Sentencing
David Davis:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people received (a) custodial and (b) non-custodial sentences on conviction for offences which included the carrying or use of a knife in each of the last five years. [185635]
27 Feb 2008 : Column 1715W
Mr. Straw:
Information on possession of a knife is contained in the following table. Statistics for 2007 will be published in the autumn.
In such instances as a robbery or violent assault where an individual has used a knife or other offensive
27 Feb 2008 : Column 1716W
weapon then they will principally be sentenced for the more serious transgression; the figures for such more serious offences as robbery do not isolate the specific use of a knife in such circumstances.
| Persons sentenced( 1) for possession of a knife, all courts, England and Wales, 2002-06 |
| Defendants |
| | Offence | |
| Type of sentence | Possession of offensive weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse( 2) | Having an article with a blade or point in a public place | Having an article with a blade or point on school premises | Possession of weapons without lawful authority or reasonable excuse on school premises | Total |
|
2002
| | | | | |
|
Total sentenced
|
5,441
|
5,269
|
57
|
21
|
10,788
|
|
Custodial sentence
|
787
|
766
|
7
|
5
|
1,565
|
|
Non-custodial sentence(3)
|
4,654
|
4,503
|
50
|
16
|
9,223
|
| | | | | | |
|
2003
| | | | | |
|
Total sentenced
|
5,470
|
5,374
|
88
|
22
|
10,954
|
|
Custodial sentence
|
760
|
755
|
6
|
4
|
1,525
|
|
Non-custodial sentence(3)
|
4,710
|
4,619
|
82
|
18
|
9,429
|
| | | | | | |
|
2004
| | | | | |
|
Total sentenced
|
5,758
|
5,802
|
106
|
33
|
11,699
|
|
Custodial sentence
|
817
|
803
|
12
|
4
|
1,636
|
|
Non-custodial sentence(3)
|
4,941
|
4,999
|
94
|
29
|
10,063
|
| | | | | | |
|
2005
| | | | | |
|
Total sentenced
|
5,689
|
5,957
|
45
|
30
|
11,721
|
|
Custodial sentence
|
829
|
965
|
5
|
3
|
1,802
|
|
Non-custodial sentence(3)
|
4,860
|
4,992
|
40
|
27
|
9,919
|
| | | | | | |
|
2006
| | | | | |
|
Total sentenced
|
5,630
|
6,284
|
50
|
40
|
12,004
|
|
Custodial sentence
|
788
|
1,070
|
5
|
3
|
1,866
|
|
Non-custodial sentence(3)
|
4,842
|
5,214
|
45
|
37
|
10,138
|
(1) Principal offence basis.
(2) Will include knives, but information collected centrally does not provide a distinction between them and other offensive weapons.
(3) Non-custodial sentences include absolute and conditional discharge, fine, community sentence, suspended sentence and otherwise dealt with.
Note:
These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.
Source:
RDS-NOMS, Ministry of Justice
|
Open Prisons: Prisoner Escapes
Nick Herbert:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how his Department defines a prisoner in an open prison who absconds and fails to return. [189817]
Mr. Straw:
Prisoners are classed as ‘absconders’ if they absent themselves from Prison Service custody without lawful authority and without overcoming physical security restraints such as that provided by fence, locks, bolts and bars, a secure vehicle, handcuffs or direct supervision of staff. This latter category are classed as escapes.
Nick Herbert:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether there have been any changes to the criteria for recording absconds or other unauthorised absences from open prisons since 1997. [189818]
Mr. Straw:
There have been no changes to the criteria for recording absconds or other unauthorised absences from open prisons since 1997.
Prison Accommodation
Mr. Heath:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what the certified normal accommodation was for (a) each prison and (b) the prison estate in each month since November 2007; [188195]
(2) what the operational capacity was for (a) each prison and (b) the prison estate in each month since November 2007. [188196]
27 Feb 2008 : Column 1717W
Mr. Straw:
The following table shows the in-use certified normal accommodation (CNA)(1) and operational capacity for each prison in England and Wales and for the total in-use CNA and useable operational capacity(2) for the prison estate. Figures provided are for the final Friday of each month since November 2007.
(1) In-use certified normal accommodation (in-use CNA), is the uncrowded capacity of an establishment after adjusting for accommodation out of use.
(2) Useable operational capacity is the total number of prisoners that the estate can hold taking into account control, security and the proper operation of regimes, less the operating margin of 2000 places. This is because of constraints imposed by the need to provide separate accommodation for different classes of prisoner, i.e. by sex, age, security category, conviction status, single cell risk assessment and due to geographical distribution of prisons and prisoners.
| Prison Establishments |
| | November 2007 | December 2007 | January 2008 |
| Prison Name | CNA | Op Cap | CNA | Op Cap | CNA | Op Cap |
|
Acklington
|
882
|
882
|
882
|
882
|
882
|
882
|
|
Albany
|
526
|
526
|
526
|
526
|
526
|
526
|
|
Altcourse
|
794
|
1,288
|
794
|
1,288
|
794
|
1,288
|
|
Ashfield
|
400
|
400
|
400
|
400
|
400
|
400
|
|
Ashwell
|
535
|
545
|
534
|
544
|
534
|
544
|
|
Askham Grange
|
126
|
128
|
126
|
128
|
126
|
128
|
|
Aylesbury
|
437
|
444
|
437
|
444
|
437
|
444
|
|
Bedford
|
324
|
494
|
322
|
494
|
322
|
494
|
|
Belmarsh
|
799
|
909
|
799
|
909
|
799
|
909
|
|
Birmingham
|
1,121
|
1,450
|
1,121
|
1,450
|
1,121
|
1,450
|
|
Blakenhurst
|
821
|
1,070
|
821
|
1070
|
821
|
1,070
|
|
Blantyre House
|
122
|
122
|
122
|
122
|
122
|
122
|
|
Blundeston
|
421
|
466
|
421
|
466
|
421
|
466
|
|
Brinsford
|
473
|
489
|
473
|
489
|
473
|
489
|
|
Bristol
|
420
|
606
|
420
|
606
|
420
|
606
|
|
Brixton
|
606
|
798
|
606
|
798
|
606
|
798
|
|
Brockhill
|
170
|
170
|
170
|
170
|
170
|
170
|
|
Bronzefield
|
450
|
465
|
450
|
465
|
450
|
465
|
|
Buckley Hall
|
350
|
385
|
350
|
385
|
350
|
385
|
|
Bullingdon
|
759
|
963
|
759
|
963
|
759
|
963
|
|
Bullwood Hall
|
170
|
184
|
170
|
184
|
170
|
204
|
|
Camp Hill
|
523
|
595
|
523
|
595
|
523
|
595
|
|
Canterbury
|
196
|
284
|
196
|
294
|
196
|
304
|
|
Cardiff
|
524
|
754
|
524
|
754
|
524
|
754
|
|
Castington
|
400
|
410
|
400
|
410
|
400
|
410
|
|
Channings Wood
|
698
|
731
|
698
|
731
|
696
|
729
|
|
Chelmsford
|
541
|
695
|
541
|
695
|
541
|
695
|
|
Coldingley
|
370
|
392
|
370
|
392
|
370
|
392
|
|
Cookham Wood
|
17
|
17
|
17
|
17
|
17
|
17
|
|
Dartmoor
|
619
|
646
|
619
|
646
|
615
|
642
|
|
Deerbolt
|
447
|
452
|
447
|
452
|
453
|
458
|
|
Doncaster
|
771
|
1,146
|
771
|
1,146
|
771
|
1,146
|
|
Dorchester
|
147
|
260
|
143
|
257
|
143
|
257
|
|
Dovegate
|
800
|
860
|
800
|
860
|
800
|
860
|
|
Dover
|
316
|
316
|
316
|
316
|
316
|
316
|
|
Downview
|
358
|
358
|
358
|
358
|
358
|
358
|
|
Drake Hall
|
315
|
315
|
315
|
315
|
315
|
315
|
|
Durham
|
591
|
981
|
591
|
981
|
591
|
981
|
|
East Sutton Park
|
98
|
100
|
98
|
100
|
98
|
100
|
27 Feb 2008 : Column 1718W
|
Eastwood Park
|
326
|
362
|
326
|
362
|
326
|
362
|
|
Edmunds Hill
|
366
|
371
|
366
|
371
|
351
|
351
|
|
Elmley
|
753
|
985
|
753
|
985
|
753
|
985
|
|
Erlestoke
|
410
|
410
|
410
|
410
|
410
|
410
|
|
Everthorpe
|
603
|
689
|
603
|
689
|
603
|
689
|
|
Exeter
|
316
|
533
|
316
|
533
|
316
|
533
|
|
Featherstone
|
663
|
679
|
663
|
679
|
663
|
679
|
|
Feltham
|
762
|
762
|
762
|
762
|
762
|
762
|
|
Ford
|
541
|
541
|
541
|
541
|
541
|
541
|
|
Forest Bank
|
800
|
1,124
|
800
|
1,124
|
800
|
1,124
|
|
Foston Hall
|
283
|
290
|
283
|
290
|
283
|
290
|
|
Frankland
|
732
|
749
|
732
|
749
|
732
|
749
|
|
Full Sutton
|
600
|
612
|
600
|
612
|
600
|
612
|
|
Garth
|
779
|
779
|
812
|
812
|
812
|
812
|
|
Gartree
|
570
|
575
|
570
|
575
|
570
|
575
|
|
Glen Pava
|
668
|
808
|
668
|
808
|
668
|
808
|
|
Gloucester
|
225
|
321
|
225
|
321
|
225
|
321
|
|
Grendon
|
215
|
215
|
215
|
215
|
215
|
215
|
|
Guys Marsh
|
520
|
578
|
520
|
578
|
520
|
578
|
|
Haslar
|
123
|
123
|
141
|
141
|
131
|
131
|
|
Haverigg
|
522
|
635
|
622
|
635
|
622
|
635
|
|
Hewell Grange
|
187
|
187
|
187
|
187
|
187
|
187
|
|
Highdown
|
693
|
797
|
821
|
925
|
821
|
925
|
|
Highpoint
|
788
|
812
|
792
|
816
|
792
|
816
|
|
Hindley
|
539
|
539
|
523
|
523
|
523
|
523
|
|
Hollesley Bay
|
330
|
330
|
330
|
330
|
330
|
330
|
|
Holloway
|
498
|
501
|
498
|
501
|
498
|
501
|
|
Holme House
|
857
|
994
|
857
|
994
|
857
|
994
|
|
Hull
|
723
|
1040
|
723
|
1040
|
723
|
1040
|
|
Huntercombe
|
360
|
365
|
360
|
365
|
360
|
365
|
|
Kennet
|
175
|
342
|
175
|
342
|
171
|
338
|
|
Kingston
|
199
|
200
|
199
|
200
|
199
|
200
|
|
Kirkham
|
590
|
590
|
590
|
590
|
590
|
590
|
|
Kirklevington
|
223
|
223
|
223
|
223
|
223
|
223
|
|
Lancaster
|
96
|
177
|
96
|
177
|
96
|
177
|
|
Lancaster Farms
|
480
|
527
|
480
|
527
|
480
|
527
|
|
Latchmere House
|
207
|
207
|
207
|
207
|
207
|
207
|
|
Leeds
|
678
|
1,000
|
678
|
1,000
|
678
|
1,000
|
|
Leicester
|
206
|
385
|
210
|
392
|
210
|
392
|
|
Lewes
|
458
|
558
|
458
|
558
|
458
|
558
|
|
Leyhill
|
512
|
512
|
512
|
512
|
512
|
512
|
|
Lincoln
|
436
|
738
|
436
|
738
|
436
|
738
|
|
Lindholme
|
1,006
|
1,066
|
1,042
|
1,102
|
1,042
|
1,102
|
|
Littlehey
|
663
|
706
|
663
|
706
|
663
|
706
|
|
Liverpool
|
1,160
|
1,439
|
1,160
|
1,439
|
1,160
|
1,439
|
|
Long Lartin
|
426
|
464
|
426
|
464
|
426
|
464
|
|
Low Newton
|
285
|
316
|
291
|
328
|
291
|
328
|
|
Lowdham Grange
|
640
|
680
|
640
|
680
|
640
|
680
|
|
Maidstone
|
451
|
482
|
451
|
482
|
451
|
482
|
|
Manchester
|
954
|
1269
|
954
|
1269
|
954
|
1269
|
|
Moorland
|
740
|
791
|
740
|
791
|
740
|
791
|
27 Feb 2008 : Column 1719W
|
Moorland Open
|
260
|
260
|
260
|
260
|
260
|
260
|
|
Motion Hall
|
392
|
392
|
392
|
392
|
392
|
392
|
|
Mount
|
747
|
764
|
747
|
764
|
747
|
764
|
|
New Hall
|
393
|
443
|
393
|
443
|
393
|
443
|
|
North Sea Camp
|
306
|
306
|
306
|
306
|
306
|
306
|
|
Northallerton
|
153
|
252
|
153
|
252
|
153
|
252
|
|
Norwich
|
447
|
557
|
447
|
557
|
447
|
557
|
|
Nottingham
|
379
|
550
|
379
|
550
|
379
|
550
|
|
Onley
|
640
|
640
|
640
|
640
|
640
|
640
|
|
Pare
|
838
|
1,138
|
838
|
1,138
|
838
|
1,138
|
|
Parkhurst
|
461
|
521
|
453
|
506
|
449
|
497
|
|
Pentonville
|
799
|
1,152
|
799
|
1,152
|
799
|
1,152
|
|
Peterborough
|
840
|
996
|
840
|
1,008
|
840
|
1,008
|
|
Portland
|
519
|
557
|
519
|
557
|
519
|
557
|
|
Prescoed
|
167
|
178
|
167
|
178
|
167
|
178
|
|
Preston
|
429
|
750
|
429
|
750
|
429
|
750
|
|
Ranby
|
912
|
1,038
|
912
|
1,038
|
912
|
1,038
|
|
Reading
|
182
|
287
|
182
|
287
|
182
|
287
|
|
Risley
|
1,046
|
1,091
|
1,050
|
1,095
|
1,050
|
1,095
|
|
Rochester
|
392
|
392
|
392
|
392
|
392
|
392
|
|
Rye Hill
|
600
|
600
|
600
|
600
|
600
|
600
|
|
Send
|
216
|
216
|
216
|
216
|
216
|
216
|
|
Shepton Mallet
|
165
|
189
|
165
|
189
|
165
|
189
|
|
Shrewsbury
|
175
|
328
|
175
|
328
|
175
|
328
|
|
Spring Hill
|
333
|
333
|
333
|
333
|
333
|
333
|
|
Stafford
|
680
|
680
|
680
|
680
|
680
|
680
|
|
Standford Hill
|
464
|
464
|
464
|
464
|
464
|
464
|
|
Stocken
|
685
|
712
|
715
|
742
|
715
|
742
|
|
Stoke Heath
|
516
|
632
|
516
|
632
|
472
|
588
|
|
Styal
|
450
|
460
|
450
|
460
|
438
|
448
|
|
Sudbury
|
563
|
571
|
563
|
571
|
563
|
571
|
|
Swaleside
|
751
|
773
|
751
|
773
|
751
|
773
|
|
Swansea
|
240
|
422
|
240
|
422
|
240
|
422
|
|
Swinfen Hall
|
600
|
620
|
600
|
620
|
600
|
620
|
|
Thorn Cross
|
322
|
321
|
322
|
321
|
322
|
321
|
|
Usk
|
150
|
250
|
150
|
250
|
150
|
250
|
|
Verne
|
560
|
595
|
560
|
595
|
560
|
595
|
|
Wakefield
|
748
|
751
|
748
|
751
|
748
|
751
|
|
Wandsworth
|
965
|
1,475
|
965
|
1,475
|
996
|
1,475
|
|
Warren Hill
|
222
|
222
|
222
|
222
|
222
|
222
|
|
Wayland
|
657
|
709
|
657
|
717
|
657
|
717
|
|
Wealstun
|
885
|
907
|
885
|
907
|
885
|
907
|
|
Wellingborough
|
636
|
646
|
636
|
646
|
636
|
646
|
|
Werrington
|
160
|
162
|
160
|
162
|
160
|
162
|
|
Wetherby
|
360
|
384
|
360
|
384
|
360
|
384
|
|
Whatton
|
733
|
797
|
758
|
821
|
758
|
821
|
|
Whitemoor
|
464
|
458
|
464
|
458
|
464
|
458
|
|
Winchester
|
380
|
544
|
380
|
544
|
380
|
544
|
|
Wolds
|
320
|
380
|
320
|
380
|
320
|
380
|
|
Woodhill
|
641
|
807
|
641
|
807
|
641
|
807
|
|
Wormwood Scrubs
|
1,173
|
1,256
|
1,173
|
1,256
|
1,173
|
1,256
|
|
Wymott
|
1,005
|
1,062
|
1,005
|
1,062
|
1,005
|
1,062
|
