HC Deb 30 October 1992 vol 212 cc931-2W
Mr. Luff

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals who completed sentences for child sex offences are known to have reoffended subsequently in each of the past five years.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

I regret that this information is not collected in the form requested. Current estimates indicate that 28 per cent. of males released in 1984 from custodial sentences for sexual offences as a whole were reconvicted of a further standard list offence within two years of discharge—table 8 (c) of Prison Statistics 1987, Cm 547. A recent survey of adult males released in 1980 from custodial sentences of four years or over for several offences recorded as involving a victim aged under 16 indicates that 30 per cent. were reconvicted within 10 years of discharge of a sexual offence of which half were known to be against a child.

Mr. Luff

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors the parole board takes into account when deciding to release sex offenders back into the communities where their offences were committed.

Mr. Peter Lloyd

The factors which the parole board needs to address, in all cases, when considering suitability for release on licence are the risk to the public; whether the offender has tackled his offending behaviour; and whether the resettlement plan will help secure the offender's rehabilitation. The board also needs to take into account, among other things, any risk to the victim and the attitude of the victim and the local community.

Mr. Luff

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his Department's policy on the proportion of sentence served in prison by persons convicted of sexual offences against children; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Jack

The new arrangements for the release of sentenced prisoners introduced by the Criminal Justice Act 1991 will ensure that, like all other prisoners serving determinate sentences, those sentenced on or after 1 October 1992 for sexual offences against children will serve at least half their sentence in custody and that those serving sentences of four years or more may be required to remain in custody until the two thirds point of sentence. All prisoners will be at risk after release of having their original sentences reactivated if convicted of further imprisonable offences before the end of their original sentences. In addition, all prisoners serving terms of a year or more will be supervised by the probation service up to the three quarters points of their sentence. In addition, some sex offenders will be supervised right until the end of their sentence at the direction of the sentencing judge where this is considered necessary to protect the public.