HC Deb 08 February 2000 vol 344 cc142-3W
Mr. Bob Russell

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 31 January 2000,Official Report, column 431W, on electronic tracking, (1) which category of one-off absence was used to allow a professional footballer to breach the home detention curfew restrictions; who gave authority for this one-off absence; and if the player will be allowed further one-off absences; [108682]

(2) if he will make it a requirement for private sector contractors operating the home detention curfew scheme to notify his Department of all one-off absences and the circumstances in which they occur. [108683]

Mr. Boateng

Mr. Gary Croft was granted a variation in the hours of his Home Detention Curfew on 21 and 22 January by the Governor of Her Majesty's Prison Hollesley Bay. The variation in hours was, therefore, not a one-off absence, which can be granted by contractors in specified circumstances as outlined in my earlier reply to the hon. Member.

Governors have the discretion to vary an offender's curfew hours, taking into account legitimate reasons for the necessary absence of the curfewee from his or her home at certain times. This would include working hours, and would take into account reasonable travelling times. Mr. Croft was granted the variation in hours to enable him to represent his employers, Ipswich Town Football Club, in an away match against Bolton Wanderers Football Club. He was subsequently granted a similar variation in hours to enable him to represent Ipswich Town in an away match against Barnsley Football Club on 5 February.

Mr. Croft continued to be subject to the curfew requirement until his automatic release date on 6 February and the total number of hours he spend under curfew was not reduced.

There is no contractual provision for the electronic monitoring contractors to notify the Home Office of one-off absences. The contractors are able to provide the Home Office with details of any such absence on request, and there are no plants to make any changes to these requirements.

Mr. Fraser

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what offences have been committed by prisoners released under the home detention curfew scheme while they were on the scheme. [108291]

Mr. Boateng

[holding answer 3 February 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe) on 2 February 2000, Official Report, column 249W.

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