To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 18 July 2005 to the hon. Member for Winchester, Official Report, column 1506W, on probation hostels, how many places were available in probation hostels in England and Wales on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many were occupied by high risk offenders on that date. (76914)

As at 28 February 2006, 2,163 bed spaces were available in generic approved premises, formerly bail and probation hotels. Of these, 1,256 were occupied by offenders who were assessed as high or very high risk of harm to the public. The figures do not include data for the newly opened prospects hostels which are a specialist resource for offenders with substance misuse problems.