To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons found guilty of perjury since 1979 served custodial sentences in an open prison; and what percentage this represents of the total. [10010]

The information available centrally combines the offences of perjury, libel and perverting the course of justice. Information for 1991 to 1996 is contained in the table. From court proceedings statistics for the years 1991 to 1995, it is known that around one in nine of these offenders will have served sentences for perjury. It is not possible to provide the information in this form prior to 1991 as information held centrally before that date combined perjury with a much larger group of offences.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average length of time spent in prison by prisoners who were released in each year since 1992 having served a custodial sentence for perjury. [10009]

The information available centrally combines the offences of perjury, libel and perverting the course of justice. The available information is contained in the table.In the information held centrally about prisoners, the offence of perjury cannot be separately distinguished from among this group of offences. From court proceedings statistics for the years 1992 to 1995, it is known that around one in nine offenders given custodial sentences for perjury, libel or perverting the course of justice were guilty of the offence of perjury.