Hansard

Written Answers

Volume 444: debated on Tuesday 15 November 1983

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Written Answers

Detention Centre Sentences

Baroness Faithfull

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many juveniles and young adults respectively were serving detention centre sentences on 30th April 1983, 31st May 1983 and on the most recent convenient date.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office
(Lord Elton)

The information available is given in the following table:Population of young offenders in detention centres in England and Wales on 30th April, 31st May and 30th September 1983: by age group.

Number(1)
Age Group
14–1617–20
30th April 19835901,460
31st May 19835701,230
30th September1983470960
(1) Rounded estimates.

Youth Custody Sentences

Baroness Faithfull

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many juveniles and young adults respectively were serving youth custody sentences on 30th April 1983, 31st May 1983 and on the most recent convenient date, and of these how many were in youth custody centres, prisons and remand centres respectively.

Lord Elton

The information is given in the following table:

Population (1) of young offenders serving sentences of imprisonment, borstal training or youth custody in Prison Department establishments in England and Wales on 30th April, 31st May and 30th September 1983: by type of establishment and age group.
Number (2)
Youth custody centres(3)PrisonsRemand centres
14–1617–2014–1617–2014–1617–20
30th April 1983
Imprisonment—1,730—1,000—150
Borstal training6404,26020802060
31st May 1983
Imprisonment—1,670—840—90
Youth custody(4)5703,4405033040130
30th September 1983
Imprisonment—860—210——
Youth custody(4)7305,1605093060260
(1) Excluding fine defaulters.
(2) Rounded Figures.
(3) Some young prisoner establishments and borstals on 30th April 1983.
(4) Young offenders could be sentenced to youth custody only from 24th May 1983. Including conversions from borstal training.

Prisoners' Appeals: Information Leaflet

Lord Avebury

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish supplementary leaflets for the information of prisoners on appeals to the Crown Court and the House of Lords, and on legal aid for proceedings in the magistrates' and Crown Courts respectively.

Lord Elton

These leaflets have been available to prisoners since May this year, when the information booklet for prisoners which they supplement replaced the former system of cell cards. Before that, the information in the leaflets was contained in cell cards and has therefore been continuously available to those prisoners to whose circumstances it is relevant. I am sending copies of the leaflets to the noble Lord for information.

European Investment Bank: Rebate

Lord O'Hagan

asked Her Majesty's Government:How much in interest rebate the United Kingdom has received each year since accession from the European Investment Bank; and whether rebates of similar proportions would be granted if there were no areas in the United Kingdom appropriately designated under the European Regional Development Fund.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
(Lord Cockfield)

Neither rebates nor subsidies are available from the European Investment Bank.

Hooke Park Forest: Training Centre

Lord Wynford

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will reopen the granting of planning permission for building a new residential training centre for woodworking in Hooke Park Forest. West Dorset, in an area of outstanding natural beauty; whether they will set up a public inquiry into the matter at which local opposition can be heard; and whether they will make arrangements for all construction work to cease until a decision has been reached as a result of the public inquiry.

Lord Skelmersdale

I understand that the local planning authority, the West Dorset County Council, granted permission for this development only after the most careful consideration of the representations made to them both for and against the proposal. The council also have regard to Government policies on safeguarding the landscape, for promoting new industrial initiatives and encouraging private enterprise. In these circumstances, the Secretary of State for the Environment does not consider that his intervention would be justified.

Appeals To The Court Of Session

  • (a) in how many cases, during the five-year period commencing 1st November 1978,were appeals marked to the Inner House of the Court of Session against decisions of inferior courts granting or refusing the crave of an adoption petition;
  • (b) in how many such cases was the appeal determined after a contested hearing in the Inner House;
  • (c) in cases determined after a contested hearing in the Inner House what was (i) the average time (ii) the longest time, that elapsed between the date when the intention to appeal, or the appeal itself, was first intimated to the Court of Session, and the determination of the appeal.

    • The Minister of State, Scottish Office
    (Lord Gray of Contin)

    The information requested is:

  • (a) During the five-year period commencing 1st November 1978, 19 appeals were marked to the Inner House of the Court of Session against decisions of inferior courts granting or refusing the crave of an adoption petition.
  • (b) Four cases were determined after a contested hearing in the Inner House.
  • (c) The time elapsing between the date of intimation of the appeal to the Court of Session and determination of the appeal in the four cases in which there was a contested hearing was five months, six months, 11 months and 33 months, giving an average of approximately 14 months.