HC Deb 01 November 1990 vol 178 cc738-9W
Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average total cost of monitoring the 50 defendants placed under surveillance during the recent electronic monitoring trials in Tyneside, Nottingham and London.

Mr. John Patten

The total cost of the electronic monitoring trials was about £700,000 for 50 defendants. But the former figure includes the cost of setting up three different schemes on an experimental basis and the special production of the equipment needed. It would not be sensible to take the figure yielded by dividing the latter figure into the former as a realistic average cost for the use of electronic monitoring on a larger scale.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the 50 participants in the electronic monitoring trials in England and Wales reached their trials without being brought to court for an alleged violation, breaching, being additionally charged with an offence, subsequently bailed or absconding during the monitoring period.

Mr. John Patten

I will write to the hon. Member.