Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Ministry of Justice

Oral Answers to Questions

Fiona Bruce Excerpts
Tuesday 18th December 2018

(6 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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David Gauke Portrait Mr Gauke
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That is an excellent point. Workplace release on temporary licence has a key role to play in giving prisoners employment opportunities and easing the transition from prison life to post-prison existence. I am keen to ensure that we do what we can with workplace ROTL, and I should like it to be used more.

Fiona Bruce Portrait Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con)
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What further action can be taken to encourage more employers to offer such opportunities during the final period of a sentence? That is being done very effectively at Thorn Cross prison in Appleton Thorn, near Warrington.

David Gauke Portrait Mr Gauke
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Encouraging employers is very much what the New Futures Network is about. I sense a change of attitude among employers: more and more of them want to do this, because they recognise that there are benefits for them as well as for society as a whole. As I have said, more than 100 employers have signed up to the network, and I encourage those who are following our proceedings closely to do as much as possible on this front.