Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to include targeted programmes for offenders that are dependent on (a) drugs, (b) alcohol and (c) gambling as a commissioning requirement under the proposed new probation system.

The Probation Reform Programme seeks to support the protocol agreed between the Ministry of Justice, Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and Public Health England to promote the use of Mental Health Treatment, Alcohol Treatment and Drug Rehabilitation requirements as the intervention of choice for eligible offenders.

We also intend to procure additional rehabilitative interventions that support offenders on release from custody and under community supervision to access treatment and stay safe while awaiting treatment and/or access to specialist services which address both substance misuse and gambling.