To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of alcohol referral pilots; and how many people have (a) been subject to referral and (b) completed such referral in each of the pilot areas. (222648)

The current alcohol arrest referral (AAR) pilots in Manchester, Liverpool, Ealing and Chester are subject to a vigorous evaluation process. This is being conducted by external evaluators from Liverpool John Moores University and Risk Solutions consultancy. Preliminary findings on re-offending data six months post-intervention and the throughput figures for offenders referred/receiving interventions will be received from the external evaluators in December 2008, with the final report due in July 2009.