§ Mr. ConwayTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines are given to magistrates about placing on bail people with records of previous offences.
§ Mr. John PattenIt is not for the Government to issue such guidelines. Decisions on bail in individual cases are434W for the magistrates concerned in the light of the circumstances of those cases; and it is not for the Government to issue guidelines about the way in which they should exercise their responsibilities under the Bail Act 1976 in those cases.