§ 1971. Mr. SproatTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were released on bail in England in(a) 1991, (b) 1981 and (c)
§ Mr. JackInformation is not yet available for 1991, and was not published in 1971. The readily available information relates to England and Wales in 1990 and 1981 and is published in table 8.5 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1990".
§ Mr. SproatTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will set out the current advice given to magistrates about releasing on bail someone who has been arrested for a further offence while out on bail on a previous offence;
(2) if he will set out the current advice given to magistrates on releasing persons on bail;
(3) what advice is given to magistrates as to the number of times persons should be released on bail when they have already been arrested for previous offences and been released on bail for all of those offences.
§ Mr. JackSubject to the provisions of the Bail Act 1976, as amended, the decision whether to grant bail in a particular case is a matter for the judicial discretion of the court. Decisions are taken in the light of all the available information about the defendant and the alleged offence. Magistrates have been advised about the provisions of the Act via Home Office circulars sent to clerks to justices; copies of the circulars are available in the Library. In addition, all magistrates receive training under the auspices of the Lord Chancellor's Department and this covers the bail decision-taking process. The 1976 Act specifically provides that bail may be withheld if the court is satisfied that there are substantial grounds for believing that, if released on bail, the defendant would commit an offence.
§ Mr. SproatTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many persons released on bail by Harwich magistrates court, have been arrested for another offence, released on bail again, arrested for another offence, released on bail again, and been arrested and bailed for four or more offences;
(2) how many persons released on bail by Harwich magistrates court, have been arrested for another offence, released on bail, and again arrested for a third offence;
(3) how many persons released on bail by Clacton magistrates court, have been arrested for another offence, released on bail again, and arrested for a third offence;
(4) how many persons released on bail by Clacton magistrates court were arrested for another offence while still on bail in 1991, 1981 and 1971;
(5) how many persons released on bail by Harwich magistrates court, were arrested for another offence while still on bail in 1991, 1981 and 1971;
(6) how many persons released on bail by Clacton magistrates court have been arrested for another offence, 533W released on bail again, arrested for another offence, released on bail again, and been arrested and bailed for four or more offences.
§ Mr. SproatTo ask the Secretary of the State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received about the situation in which persons on bail are arrested for a further offence and are released on bail again; and what reply he has made.
§ Mr. JackMy right hon. and learned Friend has noted the publicly expressed concern of the Association of Chief Police Officers about offending on bail. He has received representations on the subject from a Lincolnshire county councillor and from nine hon. Members, five of whom wrote after the councillor's approach to them. In addition, it has been referred to in a number of letters which have been concerned with crime more generally. Replies to these representations have acknowledged the strength of the concerns being expressed and have referred to the various steps that either have been taken or are being taken to reduce the risk of offending on bail.
§ Mr. SproatTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what current plans he has to review the situation under which persons released on bail are arrested for a further offence while on bail; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. JackAs part of a wider programme of work to tackle the problem of offending on bail, my Department has convened a group which is widely representative of the different organisations and agencies involved in the criminal justice system. This group is currently reviewing the bail decision taking process. In a separate forum, concerns about the arrangements for police bail are also being examined.
§ Mr. SproatTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many persons were arrested for another offence while on bail(a) two, (b) three and (c) four or more previous offences in (i) a 1991, (ii) 1981 and (iii) 1971, in England;
(2) how many persons were re-arrested for another offence while on bail in (a) 1991, (b) 1981 and (c) 1971, in England.
§ Mr. JackThe information is not collected centrally. In February this year, the Home Office published a survey of research into offending on bail—research and planning unit paper 65—a copy of which is available in the Library.