Written question asked by Kevin McNamara (Labour) on Wednesday, 21 July 1999, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 26 July 1999. It was answered by George Howarth (Labour) on Monday, 26 July 1999 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his Answer of 12th July 1999 at 332 c77-8W, on the Local Inmates Database, what is the ethnic composition of the prison population. - Includes table and ref to Prison Population Briefing at the internet site http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/areas/prisf.htm.

Answer: Mr. McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 12 July 1999, Official Report, column 77, on the Local Inmates Database, what is the ethnic composition of the prison population. [92930] Mr. George Howarth: The requested information is given in the table. This information is included in the April `Prison Population Briefing' at the internet site http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/areas/prisf.htm. Population in prison by ethnic group, sex and nationality--England and Wales 31 March 1999 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Ethnic group (percentage) Type of prisoner Total Total percentage White{1} Black South Asian Chinese and other Males and Females 64,212 100 82 12 3 3 British Nationals 58,884 100 86 10 2 2 Foreign Nationals 5,262 100 79 12 3 6 Unrecorded 66 100 33 35 11 21 Males 61,036 100 82 12 3 3 British Nationals 56,199 100 86 10 2 2 Foreign Nationals 4,775 100 81 13 3 3 Unrecorded 62 100 34 33 12 21 Females 3,176 100 76 19 1 4 British Nationals 2,685 100 86 11 1 2 Foreign Nationals 487 100 50 0 0 50 Unrecorded 4 100 23 59 3 15 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. {1} Includes those with no recorded ethnic group

Secondary information