HC Deb 13 March 2002 vol 381 c1098W
Mr. Stinchcombe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what forecast he has made for the number of offenders who will be electronically monitored in(a) two years time and (b) five years time. [40026]

Beverley Hughes

We are considering a range of options for the expansion of electronic monitoring in the criminal justice system. At present we cannot give any estimate of the number of persons who will be electronically monitored in two or five years time.

Mr. Stinchcombe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the estimated cost of electronic tagging is in(a) two years time and (b) five years time. [40024]

Beverley Hughes

The future cost of electronic monitoring will depend on a number of factors including the initiatives we take forward in this area, the response to them from the courts and prison governors, the outcome of the current public spending round, and the prices contained in bids for future electronic monitoring contracts.

Mr. Stinchcombe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the(a) contractors, (b) suppliers, (c) period of contract and (d) value of each contract for electronic monitoring services carried out on behalf of his Department in the last 12 months. [40061]

Beverley Hughes

The contractors are Premier Monitoring Services Ltd., Reliance Monitoring Services Ltd., and Securicor Custodial Services Ltd.

They deliver electronic monitoring services using equipment supplied by Electronic Monitoring Systems Incorporated, Elmotech, Guidance Control Systems Ltd. and Premier Geografix Ltd.

The contracts began on 28 January 1999 and are for a five-year period, which may be extended by up to a further two years.

The total value of the contracts in the 12 month period from February 2001 to January 2002 was £36,913,731.78.

Mr. Stinchcombe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders are being electronically monitored. [40025]

Beverley Hughes

The number of persons subject to electronic monitoring on 1 March 2002 was 3,685.

Mr. Stinchcombe

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from firms providing electronic monitoring services in respect of the expansion of their operations; and if he will make a statement. [40058]

Beverley Hughes

Although the electronic monitoring contractors frequently discuss the level of business with Home Office officials, there have been no representations from firms specifically aimed at expanding their operations.