HL Deb 12 May 1965 vol 266 cc65-6

2.38 p.m.

BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGER

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the first Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what use has been made of the facilities now available to assize courts and quarter sessions for obtaining information about the subsequent progress of any offender, and when it is proposed to extend these facilities to magistrates' courts.]

THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE, HOME OFFICE (LORD STONHAM)

My Lords, little if any use appears so far to have been made of these facilities. My right honourable and learned friend now proposes to extend the facilities to any magistrates' court that asks for a follow-up report on a person sentenced to imprisonment for over three months where the case presents special features. A Home Office Circular will be sent to magistrates' courts informing them of these new facilities.

BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGER

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his Answer. Does he not think it is extremely disappointing that the higher courts in this country should show little or no concern about information as to the results of their actions?

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, it is not for me to answer for the courts, but the Lord Chief Justice's Conferences of judges and chairmen of quarter sessions, which discuss problems involved in sentencing and which are attended by persons responsible for penal administration, show that a great deal of thought has been given to this important matter. It is to be hoped that this will produce results and that my noble friend's Question will help in that regard.

BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGER

My Lords, can the noble Lord say, in regard to the extension of these facilities to magistrates' courts, what period the follow-up information that is going to be available will cover, and what is the criterion to decide what constitutes a feature of special interest in the case?

LORD STONHAM

My Lords, so far as the criteria constituting special features are concerned, they will depend on the magistrates' courts. In fact, they will say whether a case has special features. With regard to the length of follow-up, magistrates will receive a report of a prisoner's conduct in prison, and they will also be informed of any subsequent conviction during a period of three years after his release from prison.

BARONESS WOOTTON OF ABINGER

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord for his answer, and assure him that the magistrates' courts will make great use of these facilities.