§ Mrs. Peacockasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures the Government planned to introduce concerning the number of people remanded in custody each year; and if he will consider the introduction of a pre-trial agency to increase the amount and quality of information available to courts making bail decisions.
§ Mr. MellorThe decision whether a person charged with an offence should be remanded in custody or on hail is one for the court to take in the exercise of its judical discretion, subject to the requirements of the Bail Act 1976, which creates a presumption in favour of the grant of bail. We have no present plans for changes in that Act or for the establishment of an agency such as my hon. Friend suggests.