Oral Answers to Questions

Tom Hayes Excerpts

Tuesday 10th November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Sarah Sackman]

I am proud of the work the Labour Government have done in introducing a once-in-a-generation piece of legislation increasing workers’ rights, but we must ensure that those rights are capable of enforcement. The backlogs in the employment tribunal are ones that I recognise, which is why reform will be necessary and why we are increasing capacity with additional judicial recruitment. We are also seeing additional challenges through the pressures that AI is bringing. Our response needs to be up to the task by ensuring that we introduce our own uses of responsible AI to meet that challenge.

[Tom Hayes (Bournemouth East) (Lab)]

7. Whether his Department plans to review licence and probation supervision arrangements for convicted sex offenders following their release from custody.

[The Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending (Catherine McKinnell)]

Protecting the public and victims is our top priority and probation staff now have access to the toughest range of measures ever to manage offenders, backed by over £700 million-worth of investment. To manage the most dangerous offenders convicted of sexual offences, we have introduced a strengthened supervision package, and probation officers can make use of restriction zones and GPS monitoring systems to keep the public safe.

[Tom Hayes]

I thank the Minister for agreeing to meet with some of my constituents, who I saw again yesterday morning. Will the Government’s inclusion of smart glasses and wearable recording technology in probation licence conditions apply to suspended sentences and community orders?

[Catherine McKinnell]

I share my hon. Friend’s concerns about the proliferation of smart glasses and other technology. He will be reassured to know that probation services can already prohibit offenders on licence from possessing and using such items, including smart glasses. I would be happy to meet with him, and I look forward to discussing further how we can ensure that the measure is truly effective and keeps the public safe.