Oral Answers to Questions

Mary Glindon Excerpts

Tuesday 15th May 2012 Commons Chamber

[Heidi Alexander (Lewisham East) (Lab)]

6. What progress he has made on reform of probation services.

[Mrs Mary Glindon (North Tyneside) (Lab)]

18. What progress he has made on reform of probation services.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Crispin Blunt)]

On 27 March the Government published a consultation entitled “Punishment and Reform: Effective Probation Services”, which is looking at a wide range of options for service improvements. Alongside it is a consultation on the overhaul of community sentences, aimed at delivering effective and credible punishments. We will publish our response to both consultations in the autumn.

[Mr Blunt]

The hon. Lady raises the proper concerns associated with the scheme: that is why it is a trial and a pilot. We will assess it, and the London Probation Trust will help other probation trusts come to a conclusion on the merits of such supervision.

[Mrs Glindon]

Northumbria Probation Trust has received the best inspection result of any trust from Her Majesty’s inspectorate of probation. How will the Secretary of State ensure that probation trusts continue to be effective in protecting the public and reducing reoffending following the probation review, which proposes that offender management be fragmented across a wider range of providers?

[Mr Blunt]

Improvement of offender management for all our offenders is absolutely at the heart of the probation review. With the proposed reorganisation of probation we will be getting much greater offender management, with a focus by the probation service on reducing reoffending among those receiving community sentences. The outcome of our proposals will therefore be a very much improved offender management picture right across the country.