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Mr. Gwilym Roberts
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest figures available for the number of Her Majesty's prisoners serving sentences of up to six months, over six months and under two years and over two years, respectively; if he will provide comparative figures for 10 and 20 years ago; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Brittan
Information in the precise form requested is not available. Details of the daily average population of prisoners serving sentences during 1959, 1969 and 1979, according to sentence bands approximating to those requested, is as follows:
| DAILY AVERAGE POPULATION 1959 | |||
| Males | Females | Total | |
| Less than 6 months | 2,323 | 161 | 2,484 |
| 6 months up to 3 years | 11,202 | 318 | 11,520 |
| Over 3 years | 5,134 | 95 574 | 5,229 |
| Totals | 18,659 | 574 | 19,233 |
| 1969 | |||
| Males | Females | Total | |
| Less than 6 months | 1,468 | 78 | 1,546 |
| 6 months up to 3 years | 15,464 | 341 | 15,805 |
| Over 3 years | 5,361 | 45 | 5,406 |
| Totals | 22,293 | 464 | 22,757 |
| 1979 | |||
| Males | Females | Total | |
| Less than 6 months | 2,199 | 138 | 2,337 |
| 6 months up to 3 years | 17,159 | 633 | 17,792 |
| Over 3 years | 7,950 | 145 | 8,095 |
| Totals | 27,308 | 916 | 28,224 |