MORE than one in ten criminals released early from Winch-ester Prison with electronic tags were recalled to jail.

The Home Secretary ordered 36 of the 296 prisoners released last year under the government's controversial home detention curfew scheme be put back behind bars.

Charles Clarke made the orders because the prisoners had either breached the condition of their curfews, could not be successfully electronically monitored or posed a "serious risk of harm".

Winchester Prison's 12 per cent recall rate was marginally lower than the national average of 15 per cent.

Camp Hill prison on the Isle of Wight recalled 13 of the 58 prisoners released with electronic tags between January and December 2005 - 22 per cent of the total.

Offenders given curfew orders have to stay at home for up to 12 hours a day and their movements are monitored via a tag fitted to their ankle.

About 3,000 prisoners at any one time in England and Wales serve the last four-and-half months of their sentence on a tag at home and under curfew for crimes such as burglary, fraud and theft.

Sex offenders and violent criminals are not eligible for the scheme.

Tagging an offender for 90 days is £5,200 cheaper than keeping him or her behind bars.

Ministers were accused of using tagging as "panic measure" to cope with soaring prison numbers.

Tory prisons spokesman Edward Garnier said: "This recall rate raises serious questions about the suitability of those being put forward for release with a tag in the first place.

"Tagging has a useful role to play but this role it vitally depended on the careful selection of the people who are tagged, close monitoring of them and rapid action to deal with any breach."

The figures were released by the government in a written answer to MPs.

Home Office minister Fiona Mactaggart said: "The Secretary of State may recall a prisoner subject to the home detention curfew scheme if they breach the conditions of the curfew, cannot be electronically monitored, or are considered to present a risk of serious harm.

"Comparisons need to be treated with caution given the different types of prisoners held by different establishments."