Oral Answers to Questions Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Ministry of Justice

Oral Answers to Questions

Robert Courts Excerpts
Tuesday 9th October 2018

(6 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Rory Stewart Portrait Rory Stewart
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

This is a serious issue, not only in England but in the devolved Administrations such as Scotland, where I saw very high levels of methadone prescription. I am happy to sit down with the hon. Lady to discuss the subject in more detail.

Robert Courts Portrait Robert Courts (Witney) (Con)
- Hansard - -

What assurances can the Minister provide that the services provided by community rehabilitation companies are robustly monitored?

Rory Stewart Portrait Rory Stewart
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

The best guarantee that these companies are performing is the action of Parliament and of the chief inspector of probation, to whom I pay tribute for her series of hard-hitting reports, most recently on domestic violence. As the Secretary of State has pointed out, we have seen a 2% reduction in reoffending. That has been driven by these companies and is to be welcomed, but there is of course much more to be done to protect the public.