Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the report, A thematic review of work to prepare for the unification of probation services, published by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation in May 2021, on what date each contract for day one rehabilitation support services commissioned through the Dynamic Framework in (a) education, (b) training and employment, (c) accommodation, (d) women’s, (e) personal wellbeing, (f) discretionary dependency and recovery and (g) discretionary finance, benefit and debt services was finalised for (i) each English region and (ii) Wales.

Contracts for delivery of Education, Training & Employment, Accommodation, Personal Wellbeing, and Women’s services have been awarded in Wales and in 10 out of 11 probation regions through four waves of procurement activity over the last 9 months.

This initial range of services has been commissioned nationally. After probation services are unified on 26 June 2021, commissioning responsibility will move to a regional level and Regional Probation Directors will decide how and when they wish to commission Dependency & Recovery and Finance, Benefit & Debt services.

In Greater Manchester, we are jointly commissioning with the Combined Authority, and the suite of contracts will be awarded in the coming weeks.