Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of financial losses by third sector organisations on the viability of the Dynamic Framework for commissioning of outsourced probation services.

Voluntary and third sector organisations play a critical role in supporting rehabilitation and helping offenders turn their lives around. The Ministry of Justice is working closely with Clinks, the umbrella group for third sector organisations in criminal justice, to ensure we harness the full range of expertise and experience in the sector as part of the future probation system. We are also engaging with the Crown Representative for VCSEs and directly with many organisations in the sector.

Our plans for a Dynamic Framework will allow the National Probation Service to directly commission services in a way that encourages the participation of smaller suppliers and is responsive to the needs of local areas. We know that Covid-19 has had a significant impact on many third sector organisations which mean some may have limited capacity to participate in competitive processes. However, our engagement with the sector in the last couple of months makes us believe there is real benefit in launching these competitions to provide potential future opportunities for the market. Moreover, other commissioners will be able to use the Dynamic Framework for services once it is up and running.