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Remand on Bail (Disapplication of Credit Period) Rules 2008

My Lords, I was interested to hear a moment ago that my colleagues in another place were opposed to sheep tagging. I did not know that this was Liberal Democrat policy, so I made inquiries and discovered that, in so far as hefted sheep in Welsh upland areas are concerned, it was thought to be an unnecessary ramification, and my colleague, Mr Steve Webb, was demanding that the Government make yet another U-turn. However, we have always supported the tagging on bail of offenders as an alternative to remanding an individual in custody. The benefits are obvious: the person is enabled to stay within the family, to retain his accommodation and to attend work and education. Since he is not to be held to be guilty until he is convicted, that is all very beneficial. Accordingly, although we join the noble Lord, Lord Henley, in criticising the Government for getting it wrong in the iniquitous criminal justice Bills that they so frequently pass, we support the rules being put forward today. Since we are in favour of tagging during bail, I should be interested to know what the compliance rate is—if the Minister has that information—and whether technical problems have been overcome. I am aware of technical problems in relation to tagging in the early days, so I would be interested to know whether the Government are now satisfied that the tagging provisions work properly. Subject to that, we have no objection to the rules as proposed.