Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he will request a Royal Commission on the performance of the Probation Service.

The government does not intend to request a Royal Commission into the performance of the Probation Service. We are aware of the challenges faced by the service and are committed to driving improvements urgently.

On 26 June, the Probation Service was reformed to create a unified service that is responsible for managing all offenders which is being delivered through an additional investment of £155 million. This resource is being used to recruit and retain a strong and diverse workforce to address the high workloads and improve the overall performance of the Probation Service, as public protection is our highest priority.

The performance of the Probation Service is closely monitored by both internal and external scrutiny bodies including His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP) who provide independent scrutiny of Probation Services in England and Wales. They focus on the quality and impact of the Probation Service, providing authoritative and evidence-based judgements and guidance leading to improved outcomes for individuals and communities. The Probation Service also undergoes regular audits completed by His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service Operational and System Assurance Group. This regular scrutiny means that the issues are identified and swift action is taken to address them, for example record recruitment was achieved in 2021 with over 1,500 trainee probation officers enrolled, helping to fill recruitment vacancies.

Regular feedback on probation performance is received from HMIP who inspect every Probation Delivery Unit on a three-year cycle and provide thematic inspections on specific areas. HMIP also undertake reviews of serious further offences as directed by the Secretary of State for Justice, which provides greater impartiality on the performance and state of the Probation Service.