Probation Service (Hansard, 29 November 1989)

§ Mr. Maclennan
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he intends to monitor the effectiveness of the probation service's action plans during the next two years.

§ Mr. John Patten
The effectiveness of the probation service's action plans will be monitored by analysis of national sentencing and probation statistics, with special reference to young adult offenders; by the collection of core monitoring data from probation areas which are establishing intensive probation programmes; and by detailed research projects funded by the Home Office in five probation areas. Good progress is being made.

§ Mr. Maclennan
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many action plans he has received from probation services in England and Wales during the course of 1989.

§ Mr. John Patten
Action plans have been received from 55 of the 56 probation areas. No action plan has been received from the City of London probation service.

§ Mr. Maclennan
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the aims and objectives of the probation service's action plans.

§ Mr. John Patten
In general the action plans have the following aims and objectives: improving the presentation to courts of proposals for supervising offenders under non-custodial orders; confronting offending behaviour and reducing the risk of further offending; improving co-operation and co-ordination between different local services which can contribute to effective supervision; and improving information systems within the probation service for monitoring the effectiveness of their work with the courts and with offenders.

§ Mr. Maclennan
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to increase the resources available to the probation service during the financial years 1990–91 and 1991–92.

§ Mr. John Patten
The Government have provided for the following increase in specific grant payable to local authorities in support of current and capital expenditure on the probation service:

millions

1989–90 £ 1990–91 £ 1991–92 £

184 206 223

The Government also plan to increase their capital and current expenditure on probation and bail hostels from £22 million in 1989–90 to £24 million in 1990–91 and £28.1 million in 1991–92. Between 1979–80 and 1988–89 there has been a 51 per cent. increase in expenditure on the probation service.