§ Lord Hyltonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether consideration is being given to the use of empty houses belonging to the Ministry of Defence and to local authorities as bail hostels for persons of no fixed address who are awaiting trial, thus relieving some of the pressures on the prisons, and if so, with what results.
§ Lord BelsteadFour more bail hostels are in preparation. We keep the provision required under review but the existence of vacancies in almost all such hostels, as well as in those probation hostels which cater for persons on bail, does not suggest that we should be planning yet further bail hostels at present.