§ Mrs. RocheTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many calls the victims helpline has received since its inception; what has been the cost to date of the helpline to the public purse; and if he will make a statement on the feedback callers receive about action taken on their calls. [37692]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Richard Tilt to Mrs. Barbara Roche, dated 19 October 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the Victims Helpline.From its inception on 5 December 1994 to 4 October 1995 the Helpline had received 230 calls. The total cost over the same period is estimated to be in the region of £26,000 including the start-up cost of £8,400.The Helpline passes the victims' concerns on to the relevant prison or young offender establishment and the caller is informed of the referral. At establishments, the nature of the action taken and feedback to callers will depend on the circumstances of the individual case.