§ Mr. MealeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he plans to take to prepare and motivate for employment those who are subject to a court sentence in(a) Mansfield and (b) Nottinghamshire as part of their rehabilitation.
§ Mr. JackI refer the hon. Member to my reply of 11 January to the hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Mr. Michael) at column600. It is the responsibility of the Nottinghamshire probation service to prepare and implement local plans to achieve the objective of ensuring effective provision for offenders under its supervision in relation to training and employment; in partnership with training and enterprise councils, the employment service and others locally.
In relation to those who receive a custodial sentence, the prison service has been working closely with the employment service to introduce preparation for job search courses and job clubs in prisons to improve the help given to prisoners in preparing for and finding jobs.
421WThe Home Office funds two national voluntary organisations, Apex Trust and the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders, which provide employment services for offenders and ex-offenders. Part of their programme of work is to assist probation services with employment and training for offenders under their supervision, and to assist the prison service in preparing prisoners for release.