asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cause of death of each of the 55 males and five females who died in prison service establishments in 1978; and what was the age, offence and place of death of each.
Information on 35 males and four females whose deaths occurred in prison department establishments is given below. In addition, 21 prisoners died in National Health Service hospitals.
Age
| Offence
| Cause of death
| Place of death
| |
| 33. | 30 | Murder | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Wormwood Scrubs |
| 34. | 91 | Manslaughter | Natural causes: lung cancer | Parkhurst |
| 35. | 43 | Murder | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Brixton |
| 36. | 35 | Burglary | Accidental death: asphyxia, fractured spine | Acklington |
| 37. | 22 | Attempted murder | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Dartmoor |
| 38. | 49 | Perjury | Natural causes: myocardial infarction | Leeds |
| 39. | 21 | Taking without consent | Natural causes: cerebral haemorrhage | Stafford |
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men and how many women died in prison service establishments in 1979; and what was the cause of death, age, offence and place of death in each case.
| Age | Offence | Cause of death | Place of death | |
| 1. | 36 | Murder | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Gartree |
| 2. | 22 | Robbery | Open verdict: cerebral laceration, fractured skull. | Wandsworth |
| 3. | 33 | Arson | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Wormwood Scrubs |
| 4. | 61 | Burglary | Natural causes: chronic bronchitis | Rudgate |
| 5. | 29 | Criminal damage | Natural causes: acute cardiac failure | Brixton |
| 6. | 66 | Theft | Natural causes: coronary thrombosis | Risley |
| 7. | 57 | Theft | Natural causes: bronchopneumonia | Pentonville |
| 8. | 39 | Murder | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Dartmoor |
| 9. | 37 | Avoiding payment of fines | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Wandsworth |
| 10. | 32 | Theft | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Brixton |
| 11. | 45 | Theft | Misadventure: asphyxia | Pentonville |
| 12. | 25 | Going equipped | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Wandsworth |
| 13. | 32 | Drunkenness | Natural causes: bronchopneumonia | Pentonville |
| 14. | 51 | Indecent assault | Natural causes: myocardial ischaemia | Wandsworth |
| 15. | 20 | Taking without consent | Misadventure: drowning while escapee | Haverigg |
| 16. | 42 | Theft, burglary | Natural causes: myocardial infarction | Manchester |
| 17. | 43 | Theft, arson | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Lincoln |
| 18. | 31 | Criminal damage | Natural causes: asphyxia, status epilepticus. | Brixton |
| 19. | 43 | Manslaughter | Misadventure: asphyxia | Bristol |
| 20. | 26 | Deception | Natural causes: infective endocarditis | Wandsworth |
| 21. | 27 | Burglary. | Natural causes: idiopathic epilepsy | Lincoln |
| 22. | 25 | Theft | Natural causes: asthmatic attack | Manchester |
| 23. | 28 | Theft | Natural causes: epilepsy | Wandsworth |
| 24. | 20 | Taking and driving away | Killed by fellow inmate: strangulation | Wormwood Scrubs |
| 25. | 22 | Arson | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Wormwood Scrubs |
| 26. | 17 | Robbery | Open verdict: asphyxia | Brockhill |
| 27. | 70 | Theft | Natural causes: coronary thrombosis | Liverpool |
| 28. | 20 | Burglary | Misadventure: heroin and methadone poisoning. | Huntercombe |
| 29. | 33 | Actual bodily harm | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Brixton |
| 30. | 43 | Indecency with child | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Lincoln |
| 31. | 57 | Theft | Natural causes: cerebral haemorrhage | Manchester |
| 32. | 59 | Fraud | Natural causes: coronary thrombosis | Liverpool |
| 33. | 36 | Damage | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Liverpool |
| 34. | 41 | Burglary | Natural causes: myocardial infarction | Manchester |
| 35. | 62 | Deception | Suicide: overdose of phenobarbitone | Shrewsbury |
| 36. | 27 | Threats to kill | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Winchester |
| 37. | 18 | Burglary, wounding with intent. | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Liverpool |
| 38. | 47 | Indecent assault | Suicide: throat and wrist wounds | Leeds |
| 39. | 34 | Indecent assault | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Pentonville |
| 40. | 58 | Murder | Natural causes: atherosclerosis | Parkhurst |
| 41. | 26 | Murder | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Brixton |
| 42. | 21 | Theft | Natural causes: epileptic fit, inhalation of vomit. | Stafford |
| 43. | 50 | Arson | Natural causes: hypertensive heart disease. | Brixton |
| 44. | 33 | Burglary | (awaiting inquest) | Liverpool |
| 45. | 20 | Burglary | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Lewes |
| 46. | 52 | Criminal damage | (awaiting inquest) | Brixton |
| 47. | 39 | Indecent assault | Natural causes: coronary infarction | Wandsworth |
| 48. | 24 | Affray, offensive weapons | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Stafford |
During 1979, 51 males and 0 females died in prison department establishments and the information requested is given below. In addition, 22 prisoners died in National Health Service hospitals.
Age
| Offence
| Cause of death
| Place of death
| |
| 49. | 33 | Burglary | Natural causes: cerebral anoxia | Birmingham |
| 50. | 32 | Criminal damage | Suicide: asphyxia by hanging | Brixton |
| 51. | 36 | Murder | Natural causes: coronary thrombosis | Brixton |