§ 1. Mr. Meacherasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of total public expenditure on penal custody of all kinds for convicted persons the Government's present budget on research into the causes of crime constitutes.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Mark Carlisle)£450,000 will be spent in the current financial year by the Home Office on research bearing on the causes of delinquency and the treatment of offenders. This figure approximates to 0.7 per cent. of the expected expenditure on the prison service in England and Wales in that period. Additional research is carried out by prison medical officers and prison psychologists in the course of their normal duties.
§ Mr. MeacherIs the hon. and learned Gentleman aware that these figures show that our penal system is still far too closely geared to custody and deterrents and far too little to prevention? Is he also aware that much the most cost-effective means of reducing crime out of the Chancellor's £2,300 million give-away Budget would be a major increase in Home office and external research programmes and in experimental rehabilitation? What is he doing to this end?
§ Mr. CarlisleI do not accept that at all. The fact that we spend nearly £500,000 a year on research shows that 1650 the Home Office takes this seriously—[Interruption.] The cost of imprisonment, which includes the cost of keeping those who are there and all the costs of the staff, is extremely large. But part of the purpose of the present Criminal Justice Bill now before the House is to extend the probation service and give greater opportunities for non-custodial penalties.