Bail Decisions (Hansard, 8 June 1988)

§ The Earl of Arran
My Lords, work has been done on providing better information to magistrates' courts through bail information schemes; resources are being provided over the next three financial years for about nine new bail hostels; improved training on bail decisions for magistrates is being prepared. The Home Office has recently issued a circular to magistrates' courts drawing these threads together.

§ Baroness Macleod of Borve
My Lords, I warmly welcome the statement made by the Minister this afternoon about the increase in the number of bail hostels. Can he tell the House of the likely effects as a result of that increase?

§ The Earl of Arran
My Lords, on completion the extra nine hail hostels should provide approximately 200 extra places. That should mean that a further 900 people a year will be able to remain within the community while they await trial. Bail hostels are intended essentially for those who are homeless or for those whose domestic circumstances are considered to be unsuitable.

§ Lord Henderson of Brompton
My Lords, in view of the success of the pilot bail information schemes, which were jointly undertaken by the probation service and the Vera Institute of Justice, may I ask this question. Will Her Majesty's Government consider expanding the number of such schemes more widely than was indicated by the noble Lord in his Answer, especially in the metropolitan areas?

§ The Earl of Arran
My Lords, as regards the bail information schemes, eight pilot schemes were established in 1987 to provide the Crown Prosecution Service with verified information about defendants which is relevant to the decision whether to oppose bail. A report on the scheme by the Vera Institute of Justice was published on 25th May. It showed that the schemes enabled better informed decisions to be taken on bail and no increase in failure to answer bail. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary is now considering how best to build on those schemes.

§ Lord Mishcon
My Lords, is the noble Earl aware that the circular to which he referred (Circular No. 1406 25/1988 25 1988) is most useful? Is he equally aware that the courts in this country are concerned with what happens still to prisoners who are on remand and as yet unconvicted, and that the conditions that they must suffer in police cells, very often, and in prisons are quite unconscionable? Despite the planning that he indicated, can he tell the House when it is likely that we shall no longer have people who have not yet been convicted in police cells on remand?

§ The Earl of Arran
My Lords, the noble Lord, Lord Mishcon, rightly raises the question of remand prisoners in police cells. I believe that from this Dispatch Box the Government have frequently made mention of the fact that my right honourable friend the Home Secretary is doing as much as he can as fast as he can to alleviate the situation. As a result of considerable interest, I visited Brixton Prison only this morning where I was able to see the situation at first hand.

§ Lord Mishcon
My Lords, I should like to express the gratitude of every member of your Lordships' House to the Minister for his enthusiasm and zeal in a very proper cause. However, is it not possible, in the planning being done by the Home Office, to indicate when it is programming the end of an era where people on remand are still being put into police cells?

§ The Earl of Arran
My Lords, an era is a very long period of time. As distasteful as this situation may be, I believe that it would be entirely inappropriate for me to answer the noble Lord on that particular question. However, I shall of course draw to the attention of my right honourable friend the Home Secretary the comments that he made.

§ Baroness Seear
My Lords, the noble Earl has told us that 900 people who would otherwise be in prison in custody will be in bail hostels. Can he say what that number is as a proportion of the total number of people on remand? He may say that this is a different Question, but it is surely related. Can he give the comparative cost of keeping a person in a hail hostel as compared with keeping that person in prison? I believe that that is approximately £200 per week.

§ The Earl of Arran
My Lords, I cannot give the comparative cost to the noble Baroness. Bail hostels are entirely voluntary, and it depends on whether the individual wishes to take advantage of the bail hostel. Although I cannot now give a comparative cost, I shall undertake to write to the noble Baroness giving her that information.