Written question asked by Peter Lloyd (Conservative) on Thursday, 5 April 2001, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 23 April 2001. It was answered by Charles Clarke (Labour) on Monday, 23 April 2001 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what evidence he has assessed on the effect of mandatory prison sentences for burglary on the incidence of burglary.

Answer: Sir Peter Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence he has assessed on the effect of mandatory prison sentences for burglary on the incidence of burglary. [157761] Mr. Charles Clarke: It is, as yet, too soon to evaluate the impact of section 111 of the Powers of Criminal Courts (Sentencing) Act 2000 (previously section 4 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997), which introduced mandatory minimum sentences for repeat burglars. The effects of the provisions, which were brought into force in December 1999, will take some time to be felt because section 111 applies only when all three offences are committed after implementation and one of the two previous offences is committed after the offender has been convicted of the other. An evaluation is, however, planned and will take place in two main stages. The first stage will take place in 2003-04 and will be an evaluation of the costs and benefits of the measure across the criminal justice system including changes in the incidence of burglary. By then, there should be enough evidence to form a more soundly based view of its effects. The final evaluation is planned for 2010 when the full effects should have worked their way through.

Secondary information