To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those who have served at least part of a life sentence for homicide in the last 10 years were the partner or ex-partner of the victim at the time of the homicide. (268457)

It is not possible to extract the requested information from databases centrally held by the Ministry of Justice.

Available data from the Home Office’s Homicide Index relate to offences currently recorded as homicides in England and Wales as at 4 November 2008. Latest analysis was published in “Homicides, Firearm Offences and Intimate Violence 2007/08” (Home Office Statistical Bulletin 02/09), which is available on the Home Office RDS website.

Between 1998-99 and 2007-08, there were 546 currently recorded homicides where the victim's relationship to principal suspect was ‘current or ex-partner’ and the principal suspect was sentenced to life imprisonment having been convicted of murder, section 2 manslaughter or other manslaughter. This figure excludes those persons for whom a Restriction Order (Mental Health Act 1983 s41) was imposed by the court, since the sentence is without limit of time, and those for whom a Hospital Order (Mental Health Act 1983 s37(1)) was imposed.