§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average time was from 377W arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders (a) on the latest date for which figures are available and (b) in 1997; and if he will make a statement. [145704]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe latest average time from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders is an estimated 94 days for the month of October 2000. In October 1997, the average was 130 days. The figure for the whole of 1997 was 141 days. Substantial progress has been made towards the Government's target of halving the average time, from 142 days in 1996 to 71 days.