Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the additional payments of up to £48 million agreed with Serco since the start of the Field and Monitoring Service contract comprise; how much has been paid to date; and on what grounds each payment was agreed.

The detailed financial information requested remains commercially sensitive. Disclosure would prejudice, or would be likely to prejudice, the commercial interests of either supplier and the Ministry of Justice, including in the context of ongoing contractual and commercial arrangements. The public interest in disclosure has been considered against the need to protect the Department's ability to manage those arrangements effectively and secure value for money for the taxpayer. On balance, the Department considers that the information should continue to be withheld.

The Ministry of Justice continues to hold both suppliers to account for delivery of the contracts and applies the contractual performance and financial mechanisms available to it where appropriate.