Hansard

Prisoners (Deaths)

Volume 984: debated on Friday 9 May 1980

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Mr. Soley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the reasons for the increase in the number of deaths of prisoners from 0–98 per 1,000 of the daily average population in 1977 to 1·43 in 1978.

Mr. Brittan

The numbers of deaths are too small for differential analysis from year to year.

Mr. Soley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Deptartment what was the age, sex, offence, prison and cause of death of each of the prisoners who died in National Health Service hospitals in 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively; and what was the length of sentence served in National Health Service hospitals immediately prior to death in each case.

Mr. Brittan

Information on prisoners who died in National Health Service hospitals in 1977, 1978 and 1979 is given below. To obtain the information relating to periods spent in hospitals would involve disproportionate cost.

1977

Age

Sex

Offence

Cause of death

Prison

73Male………Deception…Natural causes: abdominal neuro-fibrosarcomatosis………Wandsworth
61Male………Conspiracy/Defraud…Natural causes: cardiac infarct………Brixton
56Male………Deception…Natural causes: myocardial infarct………Canterbury
34Male………Theft…Natural causes: cardio-respiratory failure………Bedford
47Male………Wandering abroad…Natural causes: acute ventricular failure, emphysema………Leicester
51Male………Arson…Natural causes: coronary thrombosis………Canterbury
62Male………Deception…Natural causes: carcinoma of the bronchus………Wandsworth
22Male………Burglary…Natural causes: chronic renal failure………Manchester
44Male………Burglary…Natural causes: heart failure, alcoholic cardiomyopathy………Durham
37Male………Deception…Natural causes: intracerebral haemorrhage………Birmingham
54Male………Criminal damage…Natural causes: bronchopneumonia………Lincoln
55Male………Theft…Natural causes: coronary thrombosis………Parkhurst
47Male………Conspiracy…Natural causes: coronary artery occlusion………Parkhurst

1978

Age

Sex

Offence

Cause of death

Prison

51Male………Wandering abroad…Natural causes: coronary occlusion atheroma………Pentonville
55Male………Theft…Natural causes: coronary thrombosis………Cardiff
66Male………Buggery…Misadventure: bronchopneumonia………Wakefield
58Male………Fraud…Natural causes: septicaemia hepatitis………Ford
41Male………Burglary…Natural causes: respiratory failure, pulmonary embolism………Haverigg
66Male………Threatening behaviour…Open verdict: brain damage………Leeds
72Male………Threatening behaviour…Natural causes: heart failure………Leeds
43Male………Wounding…Natural causes: coronary thrombosis………Lincoln
56Male………Theft…Natural causes: bronchopneumonia………Wandsworth
36Male………Burglary/robbery…Natural causes: acute bronchopneumonia………Brixton
27Male………Theft…Natural causes: coronary thrombosis………Manchester
62Male………Indecent assault…Natural causes: coronary thrombosis………Wakefield
71Male………Theft…Natural causes: acute bronchopneumonia………Brixton
40Male………Wounding…Natural causes: carcinoma of colon………Parkhurst
65Male………Arson…Natural causes: chronic bronchitis and emphysema………Brixton
39Male………Theft…Natural causes: pulmonary oedema leukaemia………Spring Hill
22Male………Arson…Natural causes: diabetes mellitus………Risley
35Male………Theft…Natural causes: acute pancreatitis, pericarditis………Lincoln
25Male………Burglary…Natural causes: acute monocytic leukaemia………Dartmoor
59Female………Theft…Natural causes: carcinoma head of pancreas………Styal
57Male………Theft…Natural causes: coronary thrombosis………Appleton Thorn

1979

Age

Sex

Offence

Cause of death

Prison

64Male………Theft…Natural causes: cerebral infarct………Wandsworth
64Male………Burglary…Natural causes: bronchial carcinoma………Manchester
57Male………Deception…Natural causes: coronary thrombosis………Liverpool
44Male………Theft…Natural causes: pontine haemorrhage cerebral oedema………Pentonville
17Male………Taking without consent…Natural causes: heart failure, haemorrhage of lungs………Wetherby
53Male………Indecent assault…Natural causes: carcinoma of lung………Winchester
45Male………Burglary…Natural causes: coronary thrombosis………Leeds
68Male………Manslaughter…Natural causes: coronary thrombosis………Lincoln
33Male………Theft…Natural causes: coronary atheroma………Cardiff
47Male………Incest…Natural causes: carcinomatosis of stomach………Leicester
43Female………Theft…Natural causes: subarachnoid haemorrhage, ruptured congenital " berry" aneurysmDrake Hall
51Male………Contempt of court…Natural causes: myocardial infarction ischaemic heart disease……Shrewsbury
31Male………Theft, deception…Natural causes: cerebral haemorrhage………Ashwell
55Male………Criminal damage…Natural causes: lobar pneumonia………Risley
67Male………TADA…Natural causes: carcinomatous peritonitis………Appleton Thorn
32Male………Deception…Accidental death: hypoglycaemia………Liverpool
27Male………Murder…Natural causes: cardiac arrest, coronary thrombosis………Wakefield
37Male………Robbery…Natural causes: cerebral haemorrhage………Nottingham
28Male………Theft…Natural causes: tubercular meningitis………Lincoln
16Male………Criminal damage…Natural causes: acute myocarditis………Latchmere House
16Male………Burglary, theft…Natural causes: brain haemorrhage………Thorp Arch
56Male………Buggery…Natural causes: coronary thrombosis………Wakefield

Mr. Soley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if prison medical officers keep details about deceased prisoners including (a) the time the deceased was taken ill, (b) when the medical officer was first notified of the illness, (c) the nature of the illness, (d) date and time of prisoner's death and (e) an account of the appearance after death, where a post mortem takes place, and any special remarks made by the medical officer; and whether the keeping of any such records is obligatory or at the discretion of the officer.

Mr. Brittan

As required by prison standing orders, medical officers keep records which include the details specified at (a), (c), (d) and (e). The information at (b) is recorded in prison medical records.