Seema Kennedy
Main Page: Seema Kennedy (Conservative - South Ribble)Department Debates - View all Seema Kennedy's debates with the Ministry of Justice
(9 years ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Caroline Dinenage
We have been working on that. The Secretary of State and I have met representatives from the Jewish and Muslim communities and are very sympathetic to their concerns. We are working with key stakeholders to develop an out-of-hours service across London.
Seema Kennedy (South Ribble) (Con)
4. What plans he has to encourage more businesses to employ ex-offenders.
Stephen Hammond (Wimbledon) (Con)
10. What plans he has to encourage more businesses to employ ex-offenders.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Andrew Selous)
Providing prisoners with employment is an important factor in preventing reoffending. In the Employers Forum for Reducing Reoffending, we have around 200 employers who are positive about employing ex-offenders. Working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions, we are developing plans to increase the involvement of businesses locally and nationally, and community rehabilitation companies should play an important role in making those links with businesses locally to help ex-offenders to get jobs.
Seema Kennedy
My constituent Renee Blow, who volunteered with offenders for 15 years, emphasises that education is the most important part of rehabilitation. Does the Minister agree that making poorly educated offenders literate and numerate makes them more employable?
Andrew Selous
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I thank and commend her constituent for volunteering in her local prison for 15 years. Her point is absolutely correct: we need good numeracy and literacy, and a good level of qualifications that employers respect and value.