To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department is on track to meet its public service agreement target of reducing reoffending by five per cent. by 2006. (76899)

The latest formal assessment on progress is set out in the Home Office Autumn Performance Report 2005 (Cm 6707). Since this assessment juvenile reoffending results from 2004 have been made available. The report shows the reoffending rates within one year for juvenile offenders who receive pre-court disposals, non-custodial disposals and those released from custody in the first quarter of 2004. The results show a 3.8 per cent reduction in reoffending when compared with the same period in 1997 and a reduction of 1.4 per cent. when compared with 2000. The full results are available on line at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb1006.pdf. The Government remain committed to reducing reoffending by 5 per cent. by 2006 and to further reductions in the future.