HC Deb 28 January 1993 vol 217 c783W
Mr. Butcher

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what figures he has on the level of offenders re-offending while on bail, for the latest convenient period.

Mr. Jack

Such figures are not held centrally. Our research indicates that although the absolute number of offences committed by people on bail has risen by about 26,000 between 1985 and 1990, as the number of people granted bail has increased, the proportion of those found guilty of offences committed while they were on bail has remained at about 10 to 12 per cent.—"Offending whilst on bail: a survey of recent studies", Home Office research and planning unit paper 65, February 1992.

The incidence of offending on bail is a matter of concern and work is in hand to tackle the problem. This includes action research which is being undertaken in five areas and is designed to identify the scope for improving the bail decision-taking process, and thus minimising the risk of offending on bail.