Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many field staff Serco employs to fit and maintain electronic monitoring equipment compared with the number at the start of the contract in May 2024; and what assessment she has made of whether that workforce is sufficient for the additional demand arising from the Sentencing Act 2026.

It is the view of the Department that detailed staffing information relating to the delivery of Serco's field force requirements is commercially sensitive. Therefore, it is not considered appropriate to publish specific workforce numbers.

However, the Ministry of Justice continues to work closely with Serco to ensure that the appropriate staffing levels are in place to meet both existing and additional demand.

The current assessment is that there is sufficient field resource in place to deliver on the anticipated increased demand, and furthermore, resourcing levels will continue to be monitored and adjusted as operational demand becomes clearer.