Electronic Monitoring of Offenders

Debate between Lord Hogan-Howe and Baroness Hyde of Bemerton

Wednesday 28th October 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hogan-Howe (CB)]

My Lords, the Government have the right idea about tagging, and I support the Minister in saying that. However, I think there are serious problems in the operation of it now and the ambition for it for the future. First of all, tags are not being fitted, and if they are not fitted at source, they never get fitted. Probably more important is the future, with geolocation for devices, which allows people to be excluded from areas, as well as to be kept within areas, and sobriety tagging, which stops people drinking when drink is the aggravating factor in their offending pattern. There is no strategy as to how this is going to develop in the future. There is no real connection to the police or, as has already been said, the Probation Service. The current system means that an email goes from Serco or whichever commercial entity it is, and within the next few days, the police might get some information about a rapist who breached the curfew around the rape. That could all be done digitally immediately. I think the ambition is incredibly good—

[Baroness in Waiting/Government Whip (Baroness Hyde of Bemerton) (Lab)]

I encourage the noble Lord to move to his question, please.

[Lord Hogan-Howe (CB)]

I am getting there.

[Baroness Hyde of Bemerton (Lab)]

I remind noble Lords that there are only 10 minutes for this session.

[Lord Hogan-Howe (CB)]

I know, but if the noble Baroness keeps interrupting, I will not get there.