§ Mr. LidingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the recommendations made by the Kainos Programme Evaluation report. [18184]
§ Beverley Hughes[holding answer 26 November 2001]: I understand that the main report is still in draft form. When the recommendations are available the Kainos trustees (who own the report) have agreed that a copy may be placed in the Library, and I will ensure that this is done. The Executive Summary, which has been finalised, has already been placed in the Library.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the cost and effectiveness of the Kainos units in prisons. [17215]
§ Beverley HughesI understand from information provided by Kainos that the additional cost of the units was of the order of £60,000 a year in each prison. In the course of a year typically 50–70 prisoners went through the programme in each prison.
An independent evaluation found no statistical basis for concluding that prisoners who had been through the Kainos programme had re-conviction rates that were any lower than would be expected for similar released prisoners as a whole. It found some modest improvements in prisoners' attitudes and behaviour, and that the programme made a positive contribution to order and control.
The Prison Service Management Board concluded that the benefits of the programme were not sufficient to justify its meeting the costs from public funds.