Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the report, A Process Evaluation of the Enhanced Through the Gate Specification, published on 1 October 2020, what steps he is taking to ensure that all prisons from which regular releases take place provide support for prison leavers to (a) open bank accounts and (b) obtain identity documents before release.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
We are aware of the importance of these issues for successful resettlement, as well as the co-dependency between them.
In order to support those prisoners who do not have a bank account, the HMPPS Prisoner Banking Programme, previously known as the Offender Banking Programme, was set up in 2010 in partnership with the charity UNLOCK. Around 6,000 accounts per year are opened under the programme. We continue to work with UK Finance and banking partners to improve the service and increase the number of successful applicants.
We know that lack of ID is a substantial problem for the prison population. This is significant as ID is normally required to claim benefits, move into work and obtain accommodation. The Enhanced Through the Gate Specification makes Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) clearly responsible for support with acquiring identification documents and opening bank accounts, and they have previously received additional funding to improve current service delivery. We are exploring ways to increase the number of individuals leaving custody with appropriate ID following the expiry of the current CRC contracts.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation’s report, A thematic review of the quality and effectiveness of probation services recovering from the impact of exceptional delivery models introduced owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, published on 25 February 2021, what steps he is taking to establish the extent to which service user digital exclusion affects access to available service support and provision and resolve shortfalls.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) thoroughly reviewed technology requirements to ensure that Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRC) and partner organisation staff could access Microsoft Teams collaboration tools remotely and helped purchase laptops and mobile phones as part of Covid-19 relief and change notice 41. Several CRCs have also adapted their own ICT approach to enable remote working in advance of migration to HMPPS.
As part of the transition activity, the Probation Reform Programme has begun migrating CRC staff over to the same Ministry of Justice (MoJ) equipment and environment used by National Probation Service (NPS) which will allow CRCs to access the digital solutions they require for partnership liaison and remote service provision. People Plus (WWM) were the first CRC to successfully migrate on February 14th; all remaining 21 CRCs will migrate by June 13th.
Remote supervision has played a key part of our exceptional delivery models through the pandemic. Whilst video call capability has offered a digital solution for maintaining virtual contact with our service users, we recognise that digital poverty disproportionately impacts the people we supervise. In recognition of this, we sourced 6500 talk and text devices in April 2020 for NPS service users without access to a mobile phone. The CRCs separately sourced 11,000 at the same time. Whilst these devices do not provide access to digital applications for video calling, they form part of a mixed approach which underpins remote supervision. We believe there is an ongoing need for text and talk devices for service users. We are therefore scoping requirements for the probation service to cover demand during 2021/22.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation’s report, A thematic review of the quality and effectiveness of probation services recovering from the impact of exceptional delivery models introduced owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, published on 25 February 2021, what steps he is taking to ensure that the digital technology used by probation services is compatible with that used by key partners to facilitate effective liaison and remote service provision.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) thoroughly reviewed technology requirements to ensure that Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRC) and partner organisation staff could access Microsoft Teams collaboration tools remotely and helped purchase laptops and mobile phones as part of Covid-19 relief and change notice 41. Several CRCs have also adapted their own ICT approach to enable remote working in advance of migration to HMPPS.
As part of the transition activity, the Probation Reform Programme has begun migrating CRC staff over to the same Ministry of Justice (MoJ) equipment and environment used by National Probation Service (NPS) which will allow CRCs to access the digital solutions they require for partnership liaison and remote service provision. People Plus (WWM) were the first CRC to successfully migrate on February 14th; all remaining 21 CRCs will migrate by June 13th.
Remote supervision has played a key part of our exceptional delivery models through the pandemic. Whilst video call capability has offered a digital solution for maintaining virtual contact with our service users, we recognise that digital poverty disproportionately impacts the people we supervise. In recognition of this, we sourced 6500 talk and text devices in April 2020 for NPS service users without access to a mobile phone. The CRCs separately sourced 11,000 at the same time. Whilst these devices do not provide access to digital applications for video calling, they form part of a mixed approach which underpins remote supervision. We believe there is an ongoing need for text and talk devices for service users. We are therefore scoping requirements for the probation service to cover demand during 2021/22.
Asked by: Lord Hylton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of restorative justice; and what plans, if any, they have for encouraging its use.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar
The Government remains committed to the provision of good quality, victim-focused restorative justice to help victims cope and recover from the effects of crime. From April 2019 to March 2020, the Ministry of Justice provided about £76m to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs), with about £3.9m spent on restorative justice services. PCCs also spent another £1.8m from other sources on restorative justice services. PCCs are responsible for evaluating victim services that they commission locally, including restorative justice.
In addition to the PCC funded schemes, restorative justice is also available in the youth justice system and provided by some probation Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs). From 26 June 2021, probation services delivery arrangements will change, bringing services together under 12 regional probation directors (RPDs) with responsibility and funding for commissioning specialist rehabilitative services from other sectors. The new commissioning framework includes a category for restorative justice services and has been designed to support local co-commissioning between PCCs, RPDs, health commissioners and local government. This is important for improving standards and ensuring safe and effective practice.
Under the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime, all victims have the right to receive information about how to access restorative justice services in their local area to participate if they wish to do so. The revised Code was published in November 2020 and will come into effect on 1 April 2021 and will be widely communicated to victims and criminal justice practitioners. The revised Code includes information which explains what restorative justice is and how it works. The Government will work with criminal justice agencies and organisations providing support to victims of crime to raise awareness of victims’ rights under the Code.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Her Majesty’s Inspector of Probation’s 2019/2020 Annual Report: inspections of probation services, published in December 2020, if he will publish an action plan in response to the finding that checks with the local police domestic abuse team at the point of initial assessment are not being done in over a third of cases.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
As with previous years there are no plans for HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) to publish an action plan in response to Her Majesty’s Inspector of Probation’s (HMIP) latest Annual Report, given no specific recommendations are made like they are in Inspection Reports.
However, Contract Management Teams continue to work closely with Community Rehabilitation Companies to ensure that any areas of improvement that have been identified by HMIP form part of an agreed internal action plan, which is monitored closely as part of contract management processes. Similarly, HM Prison and Probation Service continue to monitor National Probation Service Divisions’ progress against suggested areas of improvement or recommendations provided by HMIP.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 12 October to Question 99573, why the provision of mobile phones to prison leavers who do not have to access to have a phone of their own has stopped since the second lockdown was implemented on 5th November.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) have been advised that phones should continue to be issued to any offender leaving prison without one if the office that they are reporting to is not able to accommodate a face to face appointment.
A number of activities are currently been undertaken to ensure that offenders who need access to a phone are supported. This includes the re distribution of stock across CRC’s to address areas of need. Where appropriate to do so, CRC’s are required to seek the return of phones that can be reallocated to ensure that resources are used effectively and offender needs are being met.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the practice of providing mobile phones to prison leavers who do not have access to a phone of their own has ended in any prison in (a) England and (b) Wales.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Basic mobile phones have been purchased by the Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic while probation is operating under an Exceptional Delivery Models (EDMs). This is in order to maintain contact with offenders in the community who do not have access to a phone of their own, while they adhere to social distancing measures. The phones are only capable of voice communication and text communication and do not have internet access.
CRCs have been advised that phones should continue to be issued to any offender leaving prison without one. As social distancing measures are relaxed, and in instances where face to face reporting is accessible for service users, the provision of phones will not be required.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service Annual Report and Accounts 2019–20, published on 24 September 2020, what assessment he has made of the reasons for worsening performance across the following key performance indicators for Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRC) (a) CRC completion of accredited programmes, (b) CRC sentence plan timeliness, and (c) and CRC initial contact; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
National performance met or exceeded targets for four out of the 18 Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) measures in the most recently released figures. CRC contracts continue to be managed throughout COVID and the contract exit period. Where performance issues arise, these are managed by the relevant contract management teams and contractual levers applied, for example service credits or performance improvement plans.
As a result of the COVID pandemic all CRCs have been operating under the obligations within their Exceptional Delivery Models (EDM). This has meant that CRCs have had to adapt to an alternative way of working. The EDMs are subject to robust assurance and compliance activities, which are carried out by the Authority on a regular basis to ensure that CRCs continue to operate to their contracted obligations and continue to deliver front line probation services to protect the public.
There was minimal impact from COVID-19 on performance for Q4 (1st January – 31st March) 2020. However, there may be small localised effects due to government regulations introduced in the week commencing 23rd of March 2020 which saw some normal probation operations temporarily suspended, group-sizes reduced, or CRCs operating by alternative practices that may not be fully reflected in performance reporting.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of people leaving prison were released without a (a) bank account and (b) valid photo ID in each of the last twelve months
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Data on the proportion of those released from prison without bank accounts or valid photo IDs is recorded in individual resettlement plans, but not collated centrally. To obtain this information would exceed cost limits.
We recognise the importance of valid photo IDs and bank accounts in supporting rehabilitation. Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRC) are clearly responsible for their provision as part of Through the Gate support to prisoners on release. We have invested an additional £22 million per annum to improve delivery of these vital services for the remainder of the CRC contracts.
The Offender Banking Programme enables individuals to apply for a basic bank account whilst in custody, to use on release. On average, approximately 6000 accounts were opened each year between 2016 and 2019 as a result of this programme.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many Community Rehabilitation Company staff have appealed against the indicative role assignments to (a) the National Probation Service or (b) the dynamic framework that they have been issued by their Community Rehabilitation company director.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) are currently undertaking the assignment activity for their staff and are due to send their outputs to the Probation Reform Programme from the end of September 2020. CRCs are responsible for communicating with their staff the outcome of assignment and for dealing with any appeals against an assignment outcome from staff. Once the assignment activity is concluded each CRC will know how many appeals they have processed.