Oral Answers to Questions

Mary Glindon Excerpts

Tuesday 18th December 2012 Commons Chamber

[Jeremy Wright]

I agree entirely with my hon. Friend. It is right, and it is what the public expect, that prisoners do something productive while they are in custody, rather than simply sitting around in their cells. That could involve a range of things such as work, education or drug treatment, but he is right that his constituents and mine would expect them to be doing something.

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

15. When he expects to announce the Government’s response to the consultation on the future of the probation service.

[The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Chris Grayling)]

As I indicated a moment ago, following my meetings tomorrow with a series of stakeholders, I will finalise a paper setting out my proposals for delivering a rehabilitation revolution. The paper will include a response to the previous consultation on probation reform and set out how my proposals have developed. It will be published early in the new year.

[Mrs Glindon]

The Secretary of State will be aware that Northumbria probation trust has received the best inspection results so far from Her Majesty’s inspectorate. How will he ensure that probation trusts continue to be effective in protecting the public and reducing reoffending after the review, given that it is proposed that offender management will be fragmented across a wide range of providers?