Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to implement the recommendations of the HM Inspectorate of Probation and HM Inspectorate of Prisons report Through the Gate resettlement services for prisoners serving 12 months or more, published in October 2016.

We acknowledge that current delivery of Through the Gate services is falling short of our expectations. We are continuing work with providers to improve delivery throughout England and Wales and the findings and recommendations from HMI Probation’s thematic reports are informing this work.

The performance of Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs), including their delivery of Through the Gate, is assessed through a range of service levels and through a robust contract management and assurance process. Our contract management teams continue to carry out regular assurance of Through the Gate delivery, and host regular local review meetings with CRCs, the National Probation Service (NPS) and prisons, identifying and working through resolutions of any issues.

We have made changes to how CRCs are paid for future years so they can focus on activities that best rehabilitate offenders and keep society safe.