To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present number of bail hostels in England and Wales as of 1 January; and what was the number on 1 January 1985, 1987 and 1989.

The information sought is not readily available in the form requested, but is presented in the table as at 1 April for the years concerned, prior to 1991.

	Bail hostels	Total probation/Bail and Bail hostels
1 April 1985	17	102
1 April 1987	16	102
1 April 1989	18	99
1 January 1991	23	105

The total number of places in probation/bail and bail hostels has increased from 1,340 on 1 April 1985 to 2,149 on 1 January 1991. The corresponding increase in places in bail only hostels has been from 246 to 421. There is an expansion programme to increase the number of bail places in these hostels by 1,100 between April 1988 and April 1994.