Working Links

(asked on 9th May 2019) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the cost of payments to be made following the Working Links Ministerial direction made on 8 May 2019.


Answered by
Robert Buckland Portrait
Robert Buckland
This question was answered on 15th May 2019

As set out in the Secretary of State’s Direction of 8 May, it has been concluded, on this occasion, that it is reasonable for Government to protect Permitted Subcontractors who suffered losses as they relate to the collapse of Working Links and their Community Rehabilitation Companies. These organisations are directly involved in the delivery of vital frontline probation services.

Further to the Direction, we are now working through a process with the Permitted Subcontractors to understand the extent to which they had monies owed to them by the Working Links’ CRCs at the point of Administration for the delivery of frontline probation services, that can be satisfactorily evidenced and validated. Until this process is completed, it is not possible to accurately answer the Rt Hon Member’s questions.

We have been very clear that this is a unique response to a unique and specific set of circumstances. This should not be viewed as setting a precedent for future scenarios.

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