HC Deb 19 May 1988 vol 133 cc1086-7
6. Mrs. Virginia Bottomley

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on proposals to use electronic tagging for remand prisoners.

The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. John Patten)

We have received correspondence from interested bodies suggesting various uses for electronic tagging, including its use for people remanded on bail. We are making inquiries into the systems which are available and considering what applications they might usefully have.

Mrs. Bottomley

I thank my hon. Friend for his open-minded response. Does he agree that when one fifth of the prison population are on remand, and when two thirds of the women and one third of the men on remand do not subsequently receive custodial sentences, in the interests of civil liberty, cost saving and public confidence it is right that the tagging option should be explored? Will he join me in condemning the knee-jerk reaction of the Labour party, which is only too anxious to complain about the size of the remand population, but which looks with a closed mind at any prospect of tackling it?

Mr. Patten

I agree with my hon. Friend that the Opposition do not have an idea between them about dealing with the remand problem. Electronic tagging, subject to many safeguards, may be extremely useful in enabling people to be kept on remand outside the prison system. I am sure that that would be welcomed by all Members.

Mr. Alex Carlile

Does the Minister agree that some courts may be less willing than others to have people tagged by the attachment of an object, either voluntarily or compulsorily, to their arms or legs? Will the Home Office consider alternatives, including the provision of the equivalent of a paging device in the accused's home, which would allow the police to make spot checks on a remanded person's whereabouts?

Mr. Patten

The hon. and learned Gentleman, unlike many of the hon. Gentlemen surrounding him, is extremely open-minded and is at least prepared to examine proposals aimed at achieving a reduction in the prison population. He may agree with me that asking people to carry an electronic tag or a paging device would be less of an intrusion into civil liberties than putting them in gaol.

Mr Wheeler

Does my hon. Friend agree that technological developments now make it possible for a variety of strategies to be considered under the general umbrella of tagging? Does he agree also that, as this debate continues, even probation officers are beginning to recognise the advantage of keeping people out of prison, and perhaps some people out of remand centres, by the adoption of such technology?

Mr. Patten

The technologies are developing rapidly and I agree with my hon. Friend that the probation service now has a golden opportunity to move centre stage in dealing with remand prisoners and with others who might otherwise be sent to gaol for committing non-violent, non-serious crimes.