Prisoners: Higher Education
Business, Innovation and Skills
Written answers and statements, 20 July 2009
George Galloway (Bethnal Green & Bow, Respect)
To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many of those who were released from prison in each year from 2000 to 2006 (a) did and (b) did not achieve a degree while in prison.
Kevin Brennan (Minister of State (also in the Department for Business, Innovations and Skills), Department for Children, Schools and Families; Cardiff West, Labour)
holding answer
The National Offender Management Service, or any other agency, does not collect educational attainment data of prisoners on release. The following table records details of those discharged from prison (excluding those deported without sentence):
| England and Wales | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Males and Females | ||||
| Prisoners discharged from determinate sentences on completion of sentence or on licence—adults | 69,500 | 71,500 | 69,800 | 65,900 |
| Prisoners discharged from determinate sentences on completion of sentence or on licence—young offenders | 15,500 | 14,800 | 14,500 | 12,500 |
| First releases from prison on life licence | 223 | 205 | 200 | 135 |
The following table details the number of OU degrees achieved by prisoners while serving their sentence. Information on degrees awarded by other higher education institutions is not collected centrally.
| Number of prisoners achieving OU degrees | |
| 2000 | 11 |
| 2001 | 17 |
| 2002 | 13 |
| 2003 | 16 |
| 2004 | 17 |
| 2005 | 22 |
| 2006 | 25 |
It is not possible to say whether prisoners achieving a degree were released in the same year of achieving it.