Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress has been made on restarting unpaid work programmes during the covid-19 outbreak; and what guidance his Department has published for people subject to unpaid work requirements in relation to the number of hours and timescales required.

The Probation Services have a responsibility to ensure the health and wellbeing of service users during the pandemic. From 23 March 2020, all Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRC) have been operating an Exceptional Delivery Model (EDM) in accordance with Government advice and guidance on social distancing measures to help stem the rise of the COVID-19 infection rate. As a result, a number of services that rely on group work needed to be suspended, however, wherever possible remote delivery was provided either by Offender managers or supply chains within CRCs. The EDMs were clear that probation providers were to maintain contact with service users, and that wellbeing and services would be discussed with individuals.

All providers are in the process of increasing operational delivery. We are working with CRCs to return to the service levels in place prior to the pandemic as soon as possible while ensuring safe working. HMPPS officials are closely tracking the volume of unpaid work (UPW) hours being delivered each week, with that amount increasing on a weekly basis.

Service users have 12 months to complete their UPW requirement. As part of the induction process the number of hours and timescales for completion are clearly articulated to service users. As a result of reduced services during the pandemic a number of Service Users were unable to undertake their UPW hours. During this time both Offender managers and UPW supervisors carried out welfare calls to Service Users to ensure they were updated. Since the recommencement of UPW, CRCs have prioritised those nearing the end of their 12-month requirement to ensure the UPW hours are delivered.