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5 Mar 2009 : Column 1783W—continued
Bail
David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many convictions there were for breaching conditions imposed on bail in (a) 2007 and (b) 2008; [260303]
(2) how many convictions there were for breach of bail in (a) 2007 and (b) 2008. [260491]
Maria Eagle: Information showing the number of defendants found guilty at all courts for failing to surrender to bail in England and Wales for 2006 and 2007 is in the following table. Data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
No found guilty data can be supplied for breaching bail conditions, as they do not constitute a criminal offence.
| Number of defendants found guilty at all courts of “failing to surrender to bail” under section 6 of the Bail Act 1976, England and Wales, 2006 to 2007( 1,2) | |
| Number | |
| (1) The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Evidence and Analysis Unit—Office for Criminal Justice Reform | |
Bail Accommodation and Support Service
Mr. Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) how many (a) defendants and (b) offenders have been placed in the ClearSprings bail hostels located in the postcode areas (i) PE4 and (ii) PE2 since 1 April 2008; and if he will make a statement; [260910]
(2) pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Beaconsfield of 3 February 2009, Official Report, column 1164W, on the Bail Accommodation and Support Service, what steps the Bail Accommodation and Support Service took to advise the hon. Member for Peterborough of the identity of the local authority ward in which the two hostels in the PE4 postcode area operated by ClearSprings were to be brought into use; and if he will make a statement. [260911]
Mr. Hanson: Since 1 April 2008 a total of 17 defendants and 10 offenders have been placed at the two private addresses (one of which is reserved for women) provided by ClearSprings in the post code area PE4. Since the same date a total of 18 defendants and 18 offenders have been placed at the two private addresses in post code area PE2.
I wrote to the hon. Member on 10 April 2008 to advise him that accommodation for those on bail and Home Detention Curfew was available in his constituency and to explain the service. At that time it was not my practice to advise the Ward in which the service was located, but that has been my practice since later that month when advising hon. Members of new addresses being used in their constituency. The two properties in the PE4 postcode area, which are not hostels but private rented houses, are in Paston Ward.
Convictions
Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the Answer of 25 February 2009, Official Report, column 835W, on convictions, how the Government determines what methodology is used to estimate the number of people with unspent convictions. [260604]
Maria Eagle: There are insufficient data to compile accurate statistics on the number of people with unspent convictions. Therefore no methodology has been established.
Were an attempt made to produce an accurate estimate this would require collating the sentences imposed for all convictions during the lifetimes of all those alive today (or a significant sample) and then assessing sentences against the periods specified in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act to establish whether or not the convictions have become spent.
However, as explained in my answer of 25 February 2009, Official Report, column 836W, centralised data do not go back far enough to provide a basis for accurate estimates (centralised data only go back to 2000 with incomplete data for 1997-99 and no centralised data available from before 1997). Furthermore the data which do exist are stored in an inappropriate format for the purpose of the necessary calculations. Any calculation would be further complicated by the fact that the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act also covers foreign convictions (where in many cases the necessary data are unobtainable). Therefore the Government have not attempted to produce statistics on this area and do not intend to do so.
Crimes of Violence
David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of defendants charged with (a) attempted murder, (b) manslaughter and (c) attempted rape were granted bail in (i) 2007 and (ii) 2008. [260301]
Maria Eagle: It is not possible to provide the requested information in respect of these individual offences. The annual publication “Criminal Statistics” contains estimates of the number of defendants in certain offence groups who were bailed by the courts. The listed offences are in the “Violence against the person” and “Sexual offences groups”, for which the estimated number bailed in 2007 was 60,900 and 9,800 persons respectively (“Criminal Statistics, England and Wales”, table 4.10). These figures include those also held in custody for some but not the whole period of the proceedings. Data for 2008 will be available later this year.
David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many individuals were prosecuted for (a) attempted murder, (b) manslaughter and (c) attempted rape in (i) 2007 and (ii) 2008. [260302]
Maria Eagle: Information showing the number of persons proceeded against for attempted murder, manslaughter and attempted rape in England and Wales for 2006 and 2007 is shown in the following table. Data for 2008 will be available in the autumn of 2009.
The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
| Number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts for attempted murder, manslaughter and attempted rape, England and Wales, 2006 and 2007( 1,2) | ||
| Offence | 2006 | 2007 |
| (1) The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Includes attempted rape of a male and female, aged under 13, under 16 and 16 or over. Source: Evidence and Analysis Unit—Office for Criminal Justice Reform | ||
Criminal Proceedings: Costs
Miss McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimates his Department has made of the average cost to the courts of dealing with an offence by (a) a caution, (b) a penalty notice for disorder and (c) a court case. [260008]
Maria Eagle: Her Majesty’s Court Service (HMCS) do not issue cautions or penalty notices. Therefore HMCS is not able to provide an average cost for these actions.
The average cost of a court case will depend on whether it is heard in a magistrates court or Crown court. It will also depend on the amount of time taken to conclude the case and therefore is not able to calculate a generic average cost.
Departmental Absenteeism
Mr. Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff of his Department were recorded absent for non-medical reasons on (a) 2 February 2009 and (b) 3 February 2009; what estimate he has made of the (i) cost to his Department and (ii) number of working hours lost due to such absence; and what guidance his Department issued to staff in respect of absence on these days. [260474]
Mr. Wills: The Ministry of Justice does not hold records centrally of non-medical absences. Gathering data on the numbers of staff who were absent for non medical reasons on 2 February 2009 and 3 February 2009 could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.
General guidance was issued on the day to all managers and staff about the disruption caused by the extreme weather conditions where normal travel arrangements were affected by the weather. Each business area provided local advice to staff, and were then responsible for its implementation.
Departmental Consultants
Mr. Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much he has budgeted to spend on external consultants in 2009. [258680]
Maria Eagle: As part of the Ministry of Justice’s ongoing Performance and Efficiency Programme (PEP) we have reviewed our use of consultants, reducing them where possible and further reductions are anticipated for subsequent financial years. While general departmental budgets for 2009-10 have been agreed, specific local budgets are still being negotiated at present to incorporate PEP savings. Therefore it is not possible to provide a figure for planned consultancy spend in 2009-10.
Driving: Licensing
Mr. Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many drivers were stopped and fined in each region for driving on an expired licence in each of the last five years. [260868]
Maria Eagle: From information held on the Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database it is not possible to separately identify driving with an expired licence from other driving licence offences.
Judicial Appointments Commission for England and Wales: Recorders
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many applicants applying for the position of recorder with the Judicial Appointments Commission in 2008 were solicitors; and of these applicants how many (a) passed the test on 10 March 2008 and (b) were selected for appointment. [260426]
Mr. Straw: In 2008, the Judicial Appointments Commission ran a selection exercise for recorder appointments in the North, North East and Wales.
433 eligible applications were received; 89 from solicitors.
220 of the eligible applicants were shortlisted after passing the qualifying test; 42 of these were solicitors.
76 selections were made; seven of these were solicitors.
Of the 433 eligible applicants, 30 were salaried judicial officers holders who were formerly solicitors; 20 of these salaried judicial officers were shortlisted after passing the qualifying test and four of these salaried judicial officers were selected.
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many applicants applying for the position of recorder with the Judicial Appointments Commission in 2008 described themselves as of (a) white ethnicity, (b) mixed ethnicity, (c) Asian or Asian British ethnicity, (d) Black or Black British ethnicity, (e) Chinese or Chinese British ethnicity and (f) of any other background; and how many of these applicants from each category (i) passed the test on 10 March 2008 and (ii) were selected for appointment. [260427]
Mr. Straw:
The Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) collects and publishes data on the ethnicity of eligible applicants for judicial office and publishes statistics on the progress of black and minority ethnic (BME)
applicants. Statistics relating to the recorder selection exercise for the North, East and Wales were published on the JAC website on 20 February at:
The JAC does not publish statistics relating to BME applicants which further breaks down ethnicity into individual categories, as this would risk the indirect identification of individuals, due to the small numbers contained in some data categories.
The conditions under which applicants provide diversity information include the assurance that their information will be held in confidence; that it will be used for statistical purposes only and; that it will not be used for making selection decisions. Applicants therefore have a reasonable expectation that their precise ethnic identification would remain confidential.
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many applicants applying for the position of recorder with the Judicial Appointments Commission in 2008 were female; and of these applicants how many (a) passed the test on 10 March 2008 and (b) were selected for appointment. [260428]
Mr. Straw: In 2008, the Judicial Appointments Commission ran a selection exercise for recorder appointments in North, North Eastern and Wales.
433 eligible applications were received; 115 were women.
220 of those eligible applicants were shortlisted after passing the qualifying test; 57 were women.
76 candidates were selected, of whom, 24 were women.
David T.C. Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many applications for the position of recorder the Judicial Appointments Commission received in 2008. [260429]
Mr. Straw: In 2008, the Judicial Appointments Commission ran a selection exercise for recorder appointments in the North, North East and Wales.
433 eligible applications were received.
Members: Correspondence
Mr. Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to reply to the letters of (a) 15 December 2008 and (b) 15 January 2009 from the hon. Member for Billericay regarding Mrs. P. Hammond. [260866]
Mr. Malik: My noble Friend Lord Bach will write to the hon. Member shortly. I am sorry for the delay in replying.
Prison Sentences
David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offenders were given an indeterminate sentence for public protection in (a) 2007 and (b) 2008. [260334]
Mr. Hanson: In 2007, 1,750 indeterminate sentences for public protection were given. In 2008, 1,270 indeterminate sentences for public protection sentences were given, rounded to the nearest 10.
These figures are taken from the public protection unit database within the National Offender Management Service. As with any large scale recording system, it is subject to possible errors arising from either data entry or processing.
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