§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the resource implications of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 for the probation service; and what is his best estimate of the additional costs involved for the probation service in England and Wales.
§ Mr. JackIncreased central Government support for the probation service was set out in the Home Office annual report published in February 1992 as follows:
1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 Central Government support (£ million) 290 314 338 Provision for total staff numbers 14,234 14,713 15,100 (Including year-on-year staff increases of;) 560 398 376 The additional staff and resources are primarily for the implementation of the Criminal Justice Act 1991; these represent the current best estimates of the additional resources needed.
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what remuneration has been offered to probation staff to enable them to undertake new duties in respect of the Criminal Justice Act 1991.
§ Mr. Jack[holding answer 27 October 1992]: The Criminal Justice Act will involve new responsibility for the probation service. To respond to this we have provided for a substantial increase in the numbers of probation officers. In addition, we recognise that there will be an impact on the work of some existing probation officers. As a consequence, probation employers have responded to this 648W by offering a system of local pay flexibility to reflect the increased responsibilities which individuals might undertake. Discussions over the details of this offer are continuing.
§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what fianancial penalties will be invoked if any probation staff refuse to under-take new duties implicit in the Criminal Justice Act 1991.
§ Mr. JackProbation staff who refuse to undertake duties in the context of the current industrial action in support of their pay claim are being asked to sign an undertaking that they will work normally and to return this undertaking within two working days. If an officer refuses to sign the undertaking, the probations committee will reduce that officer's pay by 15 per cent. while he or she continues to refuse to work normally.
Any staff who were to refuse to undertake duties in other circumstances would be subject to normal disciplinary proceedings, including financial penalties.