To ask the Secretary of State for Justice (1) what the total cost was of providing bail and home detention accommodation through (a) the Bail Accommodation and Support Service, (b) ClearSprings Management and (c) other private contractors in each month for which figures are available; and what the average cost per person per night was in each category over the latest period for which figures are available; (188347)

The Bail Accommodation and Support Service (BASS) is provided by one contractor: ClearSprings Management Ltd. The total cost of providing the scheme and the cost of the services provided by ClearSprings are given in the following table for each month from June to December 2007:

The average cost per person per night through BASS and ClearSprings Management for the latest period (December 2007) in which figures are available is £81 and £61 respectively.

I will provide as soon as possible information on the numbers of defendants and offenders released each month into accommodation provided by the ClearSprings Bail Accommodation and Support Service.

As at 20 February 2008 ClearSprings had supplied 539 bed spaces in 135 properties across England and Wales for the Bail Accommodation and Support Service.

Many more offenders, including some on Home Detention Curfew, are released into accommodation provided by other private landlords, local authorities, housing associations and the voluntary sector. The cost of the accommodation provided by these providers does not fall on NOMS and it is not possible to provide a total or unit cost. Nor is it possible to provide the number of those released into accommodation. The numbers of beds and properties available from other sources, including other private contractors, is not defined and no numbers can be given. NOMS has invested £14.5 million since 2003 to help prisoners access accommodation on release. The percentage of released prisoners without accommodation to go to has fallen from 46 per cent. in 2003-04 to 13 per cent. for 2006-07.