Probation Service Debate

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Department: Scotland Office

Probation Service

Lord Ramsbotham Excerpts
Thursday 14th December 2017

(6 years, 4 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Keen of Elie Portrait Lord Keen of Elie
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My Lords, supervision of offenders needs to be proportionate to the risk they present. In some cases, remote contact may be appropriate for lower-risk offenders who are complying with their orders. However, we recognise that best practice is for probation officers to work with offenders face to face.

Lord Ramsbotham Portrait Lord Ramsbotham (CB)
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My Lords, can the Minister please tell the House what the case loads are for individuals in the National Probation Service and in the community rehabilitation companies? A case load of 200 is simply unacceptable, and it is unbelievable that anyone can exercise any form of supervision of that number of people.

Lord Keen of Elie Portrait Lord Keen of Elie
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My Lords, I do not have the current figures in respect of case loads for the service but I undertake to write to the noble Lord and will place a copy of that letter in the Library.