§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals are the subject of a probation order; and what is the estimated annual cost of implementing a probation order.
§ Mr. MellorThe information requested is published annually in "Probation Statistics England and Wales" (tables 1.1 and 12.3 of the latest issue, for 1984). The estimated annual cost for each person on probation, which should be treated with reserve as it involves a number of assumptions, was £660 in 1983–84.
§ Mrs. Virginia Bottomleyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has about reconviction rates (a) following a probation order and (b) for individuals who are subject to probation order.
§ Mr. MellorThe latest available information on reconvictions of those given probation orders was published in 1979 in chapter 3 of "Previous convictions, sentence and reconviction" Home Office Research Study No. 53 (tables 3.4 and 3.5). A new study is being made of the reconviction rates of those given probation orders and results are expected to be available by the autumn, which will include separate estimates of the number of persons reconvicted during and following a probation order. Information on terminations of probation orders for conviction of an offence is normally published annually in "Probation Statistics England and Wales" (tables 2.10 and 2.11 of the issue for 1983) and will be included in the issue for 1985 to be published towards the end of this year.