Asked by: Kanishka Narayan (Labour - Vale of Glamorgan)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when her Department plans to introduce the proposed Hillsborough Law, including a legal duty of candour for public servants.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Our thoughts remain with those affected by the Hillsborough disaster and we will get them the justice they deserve. Having consulted with these groups over the past few weeks, we believe more time is needed to draft the best version of a Hillsborough Law.
We remain fully committed to bringing in this legislation, which will include a legal duty of candour for public servants and criminal sanctions for those who refuse to comply. Our engagement with victims, families and survivors is essential to getting this right for them, and work with them will only increase in the weeks ahead.
Asked by: Kanishka Narayan (Labour - Vale of Glamorgan)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to improve communication and information sharing between (a) South Wales and Gwent and (b) other regional probation services in the management of high-risk offenders.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Vice Chamberlain (HM Household) (Whip, House of Commons)
Offenders assessed as posing a high risk of serious harm are subject to increased levels of oversight and are a priority focus for the Probation Service.
The Probation Service consistently shares information within and across regions to effectively manage risks and support individuals. This involves collaboration between probation, police, and other agencies to ensure comprehensive support and management of offenders to reduce reoffending and enhance public safety.
Wales Probation Service share information about the risks during case transfers through conversations between senior leaders and middle managers. This ensures effective communication and support for managing risks and individuals during transfer. Additionally, there is ongoing information sharing between South Wales, Gwent and other probation delivery units and regions to enhance the management of high-risk offenders and ensure comprehensive support across regions.
Asked by: Kanishka Narayan (Labour - Vale of Glamorgan)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to improve managerial oversight in the Probation Service.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Vice Chamberlain (HM Household) (Whip, House of Commons)
We know that effective management oversight contributes to the best outcomes, and ensures probation is able to reduce reoffending and protect the public. The Chief Probation Officer has set management oversight as one of her key priorities for the year 2025/2026.
In February 2025, HMPPS launched a new management oversight framework in the Probation Service which allows for a more responsive and targeted approach. The aim is to ensure that management oversight is sought and provided where it is most needed and in particular this means an increase in management oversight for new and inexperienced staff.
Managers within the Probation Service have undergone training to enable the successful adoption of this framework. Staff and managers work together proactively to secure effective management oversight which is responsive to the unique demands of an individual case, and the skills, knowledge and experience of the probation practitioner.
Asked by: Kanishka Narayan (Labour - Vale of Glamorgan)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment she has made of the impact of missed probation appointments by high-risk offenders on public safety; and what steps she is taking to ensure consistent enforcement of breach protocols.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Vice Chamberlain (HM Household) (Whip, House of Commons)
The Probation service was left on its knees after 14 years of Conservative Government. The Probation Service that this Government inherited from the previous administration has struggled under increased workloads. It was a service that the previous Conservative Government privatised and then partly renationalised putting our Probation Service officers, who do vital work every single day, under significant strain.
This Lord Chancellor has recently announced a number of changes to the probation service to prioritise where they focus and ensure more time can be spent managing high risk offenders.
A primary aim of the probation service is to protect the public through the supervision and rehabilitation of offenders. Those assessed as posing a high risk of serious harm are subject to increased levels of oversight and are a priority focus for the Probation Service, as reaffirmed by the Lord Chancellor in her speech on 12 February.
Probation supervision appointments are essential for the monitoring and the management of offenders.Any failure to comply could indicate an increased risk of harm and will result in swift enforcement action in line with HM Prison & Probation Service enforcement policy, this could include sanctions on the offender and even recall to prison. The Probation service employs a case management system to track and manage attendance alongside which Probation regional Performance and Quality teams work to ensure that the expected enforcement standards are consistently applied.
Asked by: Kanishka Narayan (Labour - Vale of Glamorgan)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the views of (a) victims and (b) the families of victims affected by serious offences committed by offenders on probation are considered in the criminal justice system.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
All victims and bereaved family members are entitled under the Victims’ Code to have their voices heard in the criminal justice process by making a Victim Personal Statement. This enables victims to explain in their own words how the crime has affected them, which will be considered by the court when determining the sentence.
Victims who are eligible for, and have opted into, the Victim Contact Scheme can make representations about victim related licence conditions and submit a Victim Personal Statement to the Parole Board. These enable victims to help the Parole Board to understand what the impact of the crime on them has been and provide information about requested licence conditions to protect the victim where there is a decision to release the offender.
When an offender on probation supervision is charged with a serious further offence, including murder, manslaughter and rape, the Probation Service will complete a serious further offence review and victims can meet with a senior probation manager to discuss the findings of the review and receive a copy.