Probation Service (Hansard, 24 April 1991)

§ Mr. Simon Coombs
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the average weekly cost per case in report work for magistrates courts by the probation services in England and Wales, including local and central costs in the last year for which records are available;
(2) what was the total cost to the probation service in England and Wales, including both local and central costs, of report work for magistrates courts in the last year for which records are available; and how many such cases were handled in that year by probation officers.

§ Mr. Kenneth Baker
No separate information is available on the cost of report work for magistrates courts. The estimated average cost per social inquiry report completed, which includes reports for magistrates courts, in 1988–89 was £210, which the average for other types of report was £860—"Probation Statistics, England and Wales 1989", table 12.3. In 1989, a total of 140,230 social inquiry reports were prepared for magistrates courts, 7,160 domestic inquiries about custody of and access to children, 1,990 conciliation cases and a number of other types of report—tables 9.1, 9.2, 9.3 of "Probation Statistics". The cost estimate was based on information collected in 1977 and will be updated when the results of the 1990 national probation survey are available.

§ Mr. Simon Coombs
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average weekly cost per case in the provision of matrimonial supervision work by the probation service in England and Wales, including local and central costs, in the last year for which records are available.

§ Mr. Kenneth Baker
The readily available information is the annual cost per domestic supervision case, which includes those cases resulting from matrimonial proceedings. In 1988–89 the average estimated cost per case was £610—"Probation Statistics, England and Wales, 1989" table 12.3. The estimate was based on information collected in 1977 and will be updated when the results of the 1990 national probation survey are available.

§ Mr. Simon Coombs
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the total cost to the probation service in England and Wales, including both local and central costs, of report work for divorce courts in the last year for which records are available; and how many such cases were handled in that year by probation officers;
(2) what was the average weekly cost per case in the report work for divorce courts by the probation service in England and Wales, including local and central costs, in the last year for which records are available.

§ Mr. Kenneth Baker
No separate information is available centrally on the weekly or annual costs per case of report work for divorce courts. The costs are included in the estimated average cost per report for domestic reports, bail information means inquiries, inquiries for county courts and reports prepared on court appearance 445W for sentence after deferment. In the financial year 1988–89, the estimated cost per report completed was £860—table 12.3 of "Probation Statistics, England and Wales 1989". In 1989, the probation service dealt with 25,420 domestic inquiries concerning custody of and access to children—table 9.2. The cost estimate was based on information collected in 1977 and will be updated when the results of the 1990 national probation survey are available.

§ Mr. Simon Coombs
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost to the probation service in England and Wales, including both local and central costs, of matrimonial supervision work in the last year for which records are available; and how many such cases were handled in that year by probation officers.

§ Mr. Kenneth Baker
The available information is for the average cost per case receiving domestic supervision. In 1988–89 the estimated annual cost per case was £610; the number receiving domestic supervision following matrimonial proceedings was 3,240 in 1989—tables 1.2, 12.3 of "Probation Statistics, England and Wales, 1989". The cost estimate was based on information collected in 1977 and will be updated when the results of the 1990 national probation survey are available.