Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Harrington of Watford and Lord Herbert of South Downs

Tuesday 8th November 2011 Commons Chamber

[Nick Herbert]

Rehabilitation is important, whether in a public or private sector prison. The movement to payment by results will ensure that providers are focused on what they need to do to reduce reoffending. Ensuring that offenders get off drugs and deal with their alcohol problems is an important part of that. That is one reason why we are piloting drug recovery wings in prisons. We will maintain our focus on those areas.

[Richard Harrington (Watford) (Con)]

I congratulate my right hon. Friend on the work that has been done to introduce work for prisoners. However, my constituents and I are concerned that local companies that are full of honest, hard-working people may lose contracts to prisoners, who are effectively subsidised by taxpayers’ money. Will he assure me that that will not be the case?

[Nick Herbert]

I appreciate my hon. Friend’s concern. We will design the schemes in a way that ensures that that does not happen. However, we must not lose sight of the importance of ensuring that prisons are places where offenders are not simply idle, but where they are rehabilitated and introduced to the world of work and responsibility.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lord Harrington of Watford and Lord Herbert of South Downs

Tuesday 23rd November 2010 Commons Chamber

[Nick Herbert]

We have not received any representations to the contrary. These matters can be considered by the Sentencing Guidelines Council, and we believe that sufficient powers are available to the courts. The important thing is that when offenders are sentenced, they should receive adequate treatment—that applies both to community and jail sentences—so that addiction can be dealt with.

[Richard Harrington (Watford) (Con)]

14. When he expects to publish his proposals on the future of sentencing policy.