HC Deb 26 January 2004 vol 417 cc209-10W
Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which offences are assessed as being unsuitable for release on home detention curfew. [149088]

Paul Goggins

Prisoners currently serving sentences for the following offences are statutorily excluded from release under the Home Detention Curfew schemeViolent and sex offenders serving an extended sentence Prisoners serving a sentence for an offence under section 1 of the Prisoners (Return to Custody) Act 1995 (for failure to return to custody following a period of temporary release) Prisoners serving a sentence imposed under paragraph 3(1) (d) or 4(1) (d) of Schedule 2 to the Criminal Justice Act 1991 in a case where the prisoner had failed to comply with a requirement of a curfew order Fine defaulters and contemnors, whether civil or criminal.

Prisoners who are liable to the registration requirements of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 are also excluded from the scheme.

In addition, with effect from 14 July 2003, prisoners serving sentences for the following categories of offences are presumed unsuitable for release under the Home Detention Curfew scheme unless there are exceptional reasons to grant release:

  • Homicide
  • Causing explosions, placing explosives, possessing explosives
  • Possession of offensive weapons
  • Possession of firearms with intent
  • Cruelty to children
  • Racially aggravated offences

The presumption against suitability also applies to prisoners with any history of sexual offending.

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evaluation he has made of the effectiveness of the Home Detention Curfew Scheme. [149089]

Paul Goggins

The operation of the Home Detention Curfew (HDC) scheme is monitored on a weekly basis. Between January 1999, when the scheme was introduced, and 9 January 2004, over 86,000 prisoners have been released under the Home Detention Curfew scheme. At any one time about 3,600 low risk prisoners, who would otherwise be filling prison places, are serving the last part of the custodial portion of their sentence on HDC. Since the scheme began 90 per cent. of those granted HDC have completed their curfew period without any problems at all and 2 per cent. are reported as having been convicted, cautioned or are awaiting prosecution for an offence committed while subject to HDC.

In addition, the Home Office published an evaluation of the operation of the first 16 months of the scheme in June 2001 (Home Office Research Study 222: "Electronic Monitoring of released prisoners: an evaluation of the Home Detention Curfew scheme").

I am satisfied that the scheme continues successfully to provide suitable prisoners with a smoother and more effective re-integration back into the community by enabling them to be released from prison early while still subject to restrictions placed on their liberty.

Mrs. Gillan

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the confidence of the public in the Home Detention Curfew Scheme. [149090]

Paul Goggins

The Home Office has not carried out a survey specifically addressing public attitudes to the Home Detention Curfew (HDC) scheme but the scheme has been running successfully for over four years and public confidence in the Prison Service over this period has remained good. Ministers regularly receive correspondence about the scheme. Most of this concerns individual cases; only a small proportion expresses any concerns about the principles that underpin HDC.