Probation Service
Debate between Jeremy Wright and George Mudie(11 years, 1 month ago)
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Jeremy Wright)
I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on securing the debate. I shook my head because, as he will know from his close reading of the consultation document, the 16 contract package areas are a starting point, and not necessarily a finishing point. We will listen carefully to what people say to us during the consultation.
Mr Mudie
I will touch on that later in my speech, but I am interested in the Minister’s comments.
It is interesting that the private sector will be commissioned, not locally by the individual probation trusts, but from Whitehall. The Government justify decimating this 105-year-old, well regarded service—which has received all the commendations I have read out—at considerable risk to public safety, on the specific grounds of reducing reoffending rates.