To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice how many prisoners were held in prisoner transport vehicles at Crown and magistrates courts (a) before their hearings and (b) after their hearings because of lack of room in court cells in the last month; and for how long in each case. (143010)

There have been no reports of prisoners held in vehicles either before or after their hearings because of a lack of space in court cells.

To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice how many prisoners were returned to a prison or young offender institution after their court hearing different from that from which they were delivered to court in the last month; and how many who were not released from custody were not returned to prison but kept overnight or for longer in (a) police stations and (b) court cells. (143014)

In May 2006 management information provided by our contractors show that there were 1,913 prisoners returned to a different prison or young offender institution after their court hearing to that from which they were delivered to court. The number of prisoners, escorted to court from prison, who following their court hearing were kept overnight or longer in police stations was 3,399; the figure for those kept overnight in court cells was 71.

To ask the Minister of State, Ministry of Justice how many (a) male and (b) female prisoners aged (i) 21 or more and (ii) 18 to 21 were returned to prison after court hearings having spent more than (A) two, (B) three, (C) four, (D) five and (E) six or more hours in prisoner transport vehicles in the last month. (143015)

The information requested is as set out on the following table: