§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if the advice contained in Section Two: Board report of Form HDC (4) in the draft guidance to governors on the eligibility of prisoners for early release on home detention curfew applies in the case of prisoners required to register under Part I of the Sex Offenders Act 1997; [42356]
(2) if prisoners required to register under Part I of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 will not be eligible to apply for early release on home detention curfew; [42353]
(3) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Brigg and Goole (Mr. Cawsey) of 12 May 1998, Official Report, column 70, if he will define the exceptional circumstances in which prisoners who are required to register under Part I of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 would be released on home detention curfew; [42372]
(4) if prisoners who are required to register under Part I of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 and who apply for early release under home detention curfew are to be evaluated by any criteria under the enhanced assessment procedure which are not used in the case of other categories of prisoner required to go through the enhanced assessment procedure before early release under the home detention curfew. [42354]
§ Ms QuinAny prisoner serving a sentence of four years or more will not be eligible for home detention curfew. Clause 91 of the Crime and Disorder Bill [Lords] sets out the other categories of prisoner who will be ineligible for home detention curfew, including prisoners who are serving extended sentences for sex offences under clause 55 of the Bill. My right hon. Friend has also decided that prisoners serving between three months and four years who are required to register under Part I of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 should not be tagged on home detention curfew, save in exceptional circumstances.
Specific guidance on the assessment of prisoners required to register under Part I of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 is given in paragraph 3.2 of the draft guidance on the risk assessment for home detention curfew (placed in the Library on 12 May). This states that prisoners who are convicted of an offence to which Part I of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 applies should not be placed on home detention curfew, save where there are exceptional circumstances.
This reflects our overall objective of protecting the public. Each case will be considered on its merits and only where there are exceptional circumstances will release be approved. Factors which will be considered include the circumstances of the offence, the prisoner's risk to the public and the potential supervision arrangements.
§ Mr. ClappisonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners(a) are currently eligible for release on home detention curfew and (b) will be released following (i) a standard assessment and (ii) an enhanced assessment. [42355]
58W
§ Ms QuinThe latest estimate indicates that, were the scheme in force, around 7,200 prisoners would currently be eligible for home detention curfew, subject to their passing a risk assessment and having a suitable address.
All eligible prisoners will have to be considered under the standard assessment before they can be granted home detention curfew. The number of prisoners referred for further consideration under the enhanced assessment will depend on the judgment of those conducting the risk assessments in the individual cases. It is estimated that around 4,000 prisoners might be on home detention curfew at any one time.