Bail Hostels (Hansard, 25 January 1994)

§ Mr. Blair
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many bail and probation hostels and places are currently open and available in England and Wales.

§ Mr. Maclean
There are currently 115 approved hostels providing 2,690 places.

§ Mr. Blair
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many bail and probation hostels in England and Wales are due to close as a consequence of the most recent public expenditure survey.

§ Mr. Maclean
Seven hostels have been identified for closure: Bewsey Street, Cheshire; Dover, Kent; St. Vincents, inner London; Dudley centre, Devon; Fir Tree Grange, Durham; Windyridge, Essex; and Hollywood Manor, Kent—currently closed and not to reopen. In addition three probation areas have been asked to identify which of their hostels should be closed: west midlands —two hostels; south Yorkshire—one hostel; and inner London—one hostel.

§ Mr. Blair
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what expenditure will be saved during the financial years 1994–95 and 1995–96 by the closure of certain existing bail and probation hostels arising out of the public expenditure survey.

§ Mr. Maclean
The expected savings in revenue grant expenditure are about £1.2 million in 1994–95 and about £2.5 million in 1995–96.

§ Ms Ruddock
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what capital and revenue expenditure will be available for bail hostel provision in inner London for 1994–95 and 1995–96.

§ Mr. Maclean
Revenue grant for inner London approved probation-bail hostels for 1994–95 and 1995–96 will be £1.9 million a year. The level of capital grant will depend on the scrutiny of spending proposals submitted by inner London hostels and the results of the current survey of the condition of all hostels.