§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders who withheld their consent from community sentences received custodial sentences in the most recent year for which figures are available. [12716]
§ Mr. MichaelInformation is not collected centrally and no national data are available. However, the indications are that the number of offenders withholding consent to a community sentence is very small. For example, a recent survey of pre-sentence reports by Teesside probation service found that consent was withheld in only four of 854 cases. For those who do refuse consent, custody is the most likely sentence.
§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for new community sentences. [12715]
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§ Mr. MichaelThis Government plan to increase the effectiveness of community sentences and the range of options available to the courts.
On 1 October, new provisions came into effect allowing courts to impose an attendance centre order on fine defaulters who are aged under 25. Other provisions of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 will be piloted in Norfolk and Greater Manchester from January next year. These include provisions allowing for the imposition of a community service order or curfew order on fine defaulters and persistent petty offenders, disqualification of offenders from driving regardless of the offence committed and the imposition of curfew orders of up to three-months duration on offenders under the age of 16.
We are also studying other community sentence options which will reinforce the sentencing armoury, particularly with regards to youth crime. Our proposals for young offenders were set out in the consultation paper "Tackling Youth Crime" published in September. We will introduce an action plan order—which will be a focused and intensive intervention. There will also be a new reparation order which will require young people to make reparation to victims.