Dear Thank You for Your Information Request Of

From: Foi Enquiries To: Subject: FOI-16-0249 - Home Background Reports Date: 21 March 2016 09:49:00 Attachments: Further Information - Right to Review & Appeal.pdf

Dear

Thank you for your information request of 22 February 2016. Aberdeen City Council (ACC) has completed the necessary search for the information requested.

In accordance with the Freedom of Information Act, I would be grateful if you could comply with the following requests:

Please provide a breakdown of how many Home Background Reports were requested from your local authority by each prison in year since 2013/14, and the year up to date. How many of these were requested (a) more than 6 weeks, (b) 6 weeks, (c) 5 weeks, (d) 4 weeks, (e) 3 weeks, (f) 2 weeks, (1) week or less in advance of a parole board meeting date.

Number of Home Background Reports

2015/16 Source 2013/14 2014/15 PART Hm Prison And Yoi Glenochil 9 12 4 Hm Prison Barlinnie 1 1 Hm Prison Castle Huntly 11 4 8 Hm Prison Cornton Vale 3 Hm Prison Craiginches 7 Hm Prison Greenock 1 Hm Prison Kilmarnock 4 3 Hm Prison Lowmoss 2 5 2 Hm Prison Perth 5 3 2 Hm Prison Peterhead 9 Hm Prison Saughton 4 4 4 Hm Prison Shotts 1 2 4 Hm Yoi Polmont 1 4 2 Hm Young Offenders Institution Dumfries 2 6 3 Hmp & Yoi Grampian 1 24 20 Hmp Addiewell 1 Justice Department, Parole Board 4 1 7 Grand Total 64 70 57

ACC does not record the date of Parole Hearing as reports are solicited by and submitted to prisons.

ACC is unable to provide you with information on How many of these were requested (a) more than 6 weeks, (b) 6 weeks, (c) 5 weeks, (d) 4 weeks, (e) 3 weeks, (f) 2 weeks, (1) week or less in advance of a parole board meeting date as it is not held by ACC. In order to comply with its obligations under the terms of Section 17 of the FOISA, ACC hereby gives notice that this information is not held by it.

Please provide a breakdown of how many Home Background Reports that were requested were provided (a) before the deadline, (b) on the deadline, (c) 1-2 weeks after the deadline, (d) 3-4 weeks after the deadline, (e) more than 4 weeks after the deadline, by each prison in each year since 2013/14, and the year up to date.

2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 PART (a) before the deadline 15 18 16 (b) on the deadline 31 22 15 (c) 1 day to 2 weeks after the deadline 15 20 24 (d) 3-4 weeks after the deadline 7 1 (e) more than 4 weeks after the 3 3 1 deadline

We have completed this on the assumption that ‘deadline’ refers to the due date for submission to the prison which requested the report. Please note that the due date for reports is often extended, with the agreement of the prison, in order that further information can be obtained or circumstances have changed. ACC does not however collect such information.

Please provide a breakdown on the average time it took to prepare a Home Background Report in each year since 2013/14, and the year up to date.

The amount of time taken to prepare a Home Background report is dependent upon many factors e.g.: the complexity of the case; level of risk; whether the social worker preparing the report already knows the client; the amount of information available from a range of sources; the availability of relatives etc. to be interviewed; distance to the prison; availability of video conferencing; the amount of work required in assessing the proposed release address.

The time taken to prepare each report is not recorded.

ACC is unable to provide you with information on a breakdown on the average time it took to prepare a Home Background Report in each year since 2013/14, and the year up to date as it is not held by ACC. In order to comply with its obligations under the terms of Section 17 of the FOISA, ACC hereby gives notice that this information is not held by it.

Please provide details on how many occasions did a Home Background report became outdated causing a need for a new one to be requested due to a change in the date of a parole board meeting in each year since 2013/14, and the year up to date. This information is not recorded.

ACC is unable to provide you with information on how many occasions did a Home Background report became outdated causing a need for a new one to be requested due to a change in the date of a parole board meeting in each year since 2013/14, and the year up to date as it is not held by ACC. In order to comply with its obligations under the terms of Section 17 of the FOISA, ACC hereby gives notice that this information is not held by it.

We hope this helps with your request.

Yours sincerely,

Grant Webster Information Compliance Officer

INFORMATION ABOUT THE HANDLING OF YOUR REQUEST

ACC handled your request for information in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002. Please refer to the attached PDF for more information about your rights under FOISA.

Information Compliance Team Communications and Promotion Office of Chief Executive Aberdeen City Council Room 1-24 Town House Broad Street ABERDEEN AB10 1AQ

[email protected] 01224 523827/523602

Tel 08456 08 09 10 (The only charge for this call will be your phone company’s access charge).