To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the numbers of (a) female prisoners held, (b) female deaths in prison and (c) female suicides in prison in Scotland for each of the last 10 years. [19831]
[holding answer 9 December 1997]: The information requested is as follows:
| Year April to March | Average daily number of female prisoners (including young offenders) | Number of deaths | Number of suicides or apparent suicides |
| 1988–89 | 171 | — | — |
| 1989–90 | 137 | — | — |
| 1990–91 | 141 | — | — |
| 1991–92 | 145 | — | — |
| 1992–93 | 163 | — | — |
| 1993–94 | 172 | — | — |
| 1994–95 | 181 | — | — |
| 1995–96 | 174 | 3 | 3 |
| 1996–97 | 189 | 3 | 3 |
| 1997–98 | 1182 | 1 | 21 |
| 1 At 5 December 1997. | |||
| 2 A fatal accident inquiry into this death is still to be held. | |||
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his policy on detaining female remand and convicted prisoners in the same prison. [19834]
The Scottish Prison Service's policy is to keep female remand and convicted prisoners in the same prison in separate accommodation, so far as reasonably practicable.
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what research he has commissioned into the psychological effect of incarceration on female prisoners. [19833]
[holding answer 9 December 1997]: A twelve month study, commencing December 1996, was commissioned to examine, among other things, the impact of incarceration on female offenders. The study was conducted by Dr. Nancy Loucks, an independent experienced criminological researcher, and will be published early in 1998.