§ Ms KellyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are in place to assist released prisoners find accommodation; and what follow-up assistance is available. [142040]
§ Mr. BoatengThe Government are funding a number of initiatives to help released prisoners find accommodation. Ministers have approved six pilot projects focusing on the resettlement of short-term prisoners. The Rough Sleepers Unit (RSU) is also funding four prison-based housing advice centres run in partnership with the voluntary sector. The Prison Service has also funded the National Association of Care and Rehabilitation of Offenders (NACRO) Prison Link Unit since 1988 to deliver pre-release information including housing.
Leaflets issued by the RSU about housing and benefits are being piloted in Her Majesty's Prison Pentonville and other London prisons with a view to providing them in all prisons early in 2001. I launched the leaflets at Her Majesty's Prison Pentonville on 11 December.
Around £10.5 million a year is spent on probation accommodation grants. This supports some 6,000 places and represents 40 per cent. of the probation services' partnership purchases nationally and 3 per cent. of its total revenue spending.
In addition around £400,000 a year is spent by the probation service on services which can be regarded as accommodation related, such as grants to private or voluntary sector organisations to provide housing advice, help people under supervision by the probation service find accommodation, or to assist people to maintain tenancies through support workers.