Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking in response to the conclusion of HM Inspectorate of Probation in its report of 29 September 2016, A thematic inspection of the provision and quality of services in the community for women who offend, that services for women are undervalued and under threat.

Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) provide rehabilitation and resettlement services to all offenders. We are committed to giving female offenders the help and support they need to reform and lead law-abiding lives and have been reviewing the services CRCs are providing for female offenders to ensure they meet contractual requirements. We are also working with partners in areas across England and Wales to develop whole system approaches to help female offenders turn away from crime and rebuild their lives. We will continue to robustly manage the CRC contracts to make sure they reduce reoffending, protect the public and provide the best value for money for the taxpayer.