§ Mr. ThurnhamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what matters he will discuss at his next meeting with the Association of Chief Officers of Probation; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John Patten[holding answer 31 October 1988]While my right hon. Friend has no plans at present to meet the Association of Chief Officers of Probation, I have met it on a number of occasions—most recently at its annual conference in Leeds on 15 September—and I hope to meet it again before long to discuss the promotion of community-based disposals and the future role of the probation service. The Government have set out major proposals affecting the work of the probation service in the Green Paper "Punishment, Custody and the Community" published in July (Cm. 424) and in an action plan issued to the probation service, the courts and others in August. The aim of these proposals is to enable more offenders to be 399W punished in the community rather than by custody. I look forward to further constructive discussions with the probation service on this subject.