§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of people who were electronically tagged in England and Wales in 1995; and what was the total cost involved. [29998]
§ Mr. SackvilleEighteen offenders were sentenced to electronically monitored curfew orders in 1995 as part of the trials being conducted in Manchester, Reading and Norfolk. A further 47 offenders have been similarly sentenced so far in 1996. As explained to the hon. Member on 26 October 1995,Official Report, column 761, the total cost of the first nine months of the trials to April 1996, including non-recurring start-up costs such as research and development, training, capital and equipment, was £1.6 million. The results of the trials are being evaluated by the Home Office research and statistics directorate.