To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of offenders re-offended (a) while doing community service or (b) after community service in the latest year for which figures are available.

The available information is published in Home Office statistical bulletins issue 18/83 "Reconvictions of those given Community Service Orders" (HSOB 34/86 "Reconvictions of those given Probation Orders" also refers to it) Copies of these publications are in the Library.Of the 2,486 persons given CSOs 1278 (51 per cent.) were reconvicted within two years of the start of the order. Of these, 18 per cent. of the total were reconvicted during their CSO, 15 per cent. coincidental with the termination of their order and 18 per cent. after termination.The reconviction rate rises to 59 per cent. after three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) community service sentences, (b) fines and (c) custodial sentences have been imposed by magistrates in the latest year for which figures are available.

Information for 1990, which is provisional, is given in the table.