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Probation Service
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases the Probation Service handled in each region in the last year; how many staff were employed by the Probation Service in each region; and if he will make a statement. [44383]
Fiona Mactaggart:
The number of cases (in terms of people under National Probation Service supervision) handled by the Probation Service is not recorded in whole years. Instead, workload is measured by the
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number of active cases being handled by the service on a specific day at the end of each quarter. This figure will fluctuate over time, but the snapshot at a particular date is representative of the number of cases that are being handled at any particular point in time.
The table shows the number of people being supervised by the National Probation Service as at 31 December 2004, which is the most recent published figure. In addition, the table also shows the number of staff in post (full-time equivalent) on the same day as the case load information was captured. The staffing figures do not include staff employed by the national probation directorate in the Home Office, or Chief Probation Officers.
Mr. Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what impact the introduction of (a) early release schemes and (b) intensive supervision schemes have had on the workload of the Probation Service; and whether additional resources have been made available to the Probation Service to deal with these schemes. [44386]
Fiona Mactaggart: The home detention curfew scheme was introduced in January 1999. Over 120,000 prisoners have been released on HDC since then. Before release on HDC is granted, Probation Service staff are involved in assessing the suitability of the offender and the proposed release address.
There is no special allocation of funding for this work. However in 1999, the year in which HDC began, funding for the Probation Service increased by 6 per cent. All offenders serving sentences of 12 months to four years, and young adult offenders aged under 22 years of age serving less than 12 months, are released subject to probation supervision. Changes in the way HDC has been applied have caused short term increases in the number of offenders released but they have not had any long-term impact on supervision resources.
The Probation Service piloted the Intensive Change and Control programme (ICCP) for young adult offenders in 17 areas from 2003. Additional funds were provided to the pilot areas in 2003–04 and 2004–05. From April 2005 the Criminal Justice Act 2003 has enabled orders to be made that contain several requirements. These new intensive orders are gradually replacing ICCP.
Funding to probation boards reflects the increase in workload stemming from the Criminal Justice Act. Funding increased by £54 million in 2005–06 (to £759 million) and is planned to increase further in 2006–07.
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Prostitution
Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what programmes to assist women who wish to stop working as prostitutes receive support from his Department. [44839]
Fiona Mactaggart: No dedicated projects currently receive support from this Department. In 2000 the Home Office awarded £850,000 from the crime reduction programme to 11 multi-agency projects to assess what works in tackling prostitution.
The evaluation of these projects was published in the Home Office research study report Tackling Street Prostitution: Towards an Holistic Approach" and these findings will form the basis of commissioning guidance for dedicated support projects to be developed for local partnerships as part of the implementation of the recently published prostitution strategy. Government funding is already available, for example to fund drug and alcohol treatment services, to support essential elements of the work of these projects in developing routes out of prostitution.
Rates
Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was paid by (a) HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, (b) HM Inspectorate of Prisons and (c) HM Inspectorate of Probation function in rates to each local authority in the UK in 2004–05; and how much was paid in (i) each (A) nation and (B)region of the UK and (ii) London. [39163]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The following were the rates payments made by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, HM Inspectorate of Prisons and HM Inspectorate of Probation during financial year 2004–05.
Notes:
1.These Inspectorates provide services in England and Wales.
2.Rates for their London offices which are within the Department's central London estate are paid centrally.
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Remand Prisoners
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are in place to assist remand prisoners in their preparations for trial. [44959]
Fiona Mactaggart: Remand prisoners who have not been tried are presumed to be innocent and it is the function of the Prison Service to hold them in readiness for their next appearance in court.
All prisons must have a Legal Services officer to assist prisoners in finding a solicitor, to whom they must provide confidential access. Prisons holding remand prisoners must also have a bail information scheme to assist the court in deciding if the period of remand should continue; and a comprehensive range of legal text books and facilities to obtain copies of relevant legal documents.
Inspectorates (Rental Costs)
Mr. Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was paid in rent for properties by (a) HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, (b) HM Inspectorate of Prisons and (c) HM Inspectorate of Probation in 2004–05; and how much was paid in (i) each (A) region and (B) nation of the UK and (ii) London. [39166]
Mr. Charles Clarke: The following were the rent payments made by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, HM Inspectorate of Prisons and HM Inspectorate of Probation during financial year 2004–05:
n/a=Not available.
(44)Net.
(45)The Inspectorates are housed in the Department's central London estate.
Note:
These Inspectorates provide services in England and Wales. Costs for their freehold London offices which are within the Department's central London estate are paid centrally.
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