To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the (a) average number of cases per month handled and (b) rates of recidivism were in each probation office area in the last year for which figures are available. (107503)

The information requested is as follows:

Number of cases handled:

The probation caseload as at 31 December 2005 for each probation area can be found in table 1.8 of the Offender Management Caseload Statistics Quarterly Brief for October-December 2005, and can be found at the following website:

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/omcsq405.pdf

These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system, and although shown to the last individual the figures may not be accurate to that level.

Rates of recidivism:

Recidivism is measured by re-offending rates which are published annually. Re-offending rates are currently available only at a national level, but we are seeking to develop reliable rates at probation area level.

The latest national re-offending rates are published at:

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb2006.pdf

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are employed by the (a) National Offender Management Service, (b) National Probation Directorate and (c) Prison Service Headquarters. (107758)

[holding answer 5 December 2006]: As at October 2006 the total number of staff in the requested areas was as follows.

(a) National Offender Management Service Headquarters (excluding National Probation Directorate and HM Prison Service Staff): 1,261.

(b) National Probation Directorate : 116.

(c) The public sector Prison Service Headquarters: 1,649. (This figure excludes staff in area offices).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the caseload is of the National Probation Service. (107760)

At the end of December 2005, there were 224,094 people being supervised by the Probation Service.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are supervised by the National Probation Service; and how many offenders have been allocated to each tier under the National Offender Management model. (107780)

[holding answer 5 December 2006]: At the end of December 2005, probation areas reported 224,094 people under their supervision. The number of offenders supervised in the community (i.e. excluding those still in custody) was 162,005. The number of these offenders allocated to each tier under the National Offender Management model is shown in the table. In December 2005, the ‘tiering’ concept was only being applied to those supervised in the community.

These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system, and although shown to the last individual the figure may not be accurate to that level.