§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to change the title of probation officers; and if he will make a statement; [102664]
(2) what the reasons were for changing the name of the Probation Service; and if he will make a statement; [102663]
(3) if he will list the organisations and individuals consulted on the name change of the Probation Service, and place their responses in the Library; [102666]
(4) if he will list the options considered for the new name of the Probation Service; [102665]
(5) if the Government evaluated the name, community justice service, as a replacement for the Probation Service. [102668]
§ Mr. BoatengThis Government are determined that punishment and rehabilitation of offenders in the community should be effective. We have embarked upon a major programme of modernisation that includes significant investment in programmes that are shown to work in reducing reoffending and revised National Standards for the Supervision of Offenders in the Community.
Bringing together the 54 probation services in England and Wales into a unified service organised in 42 areas sharing police and Crown Prosecution Service boundaries, 134W as we shall do through the Crime and Public Protection Bill, is another major part of that modernisation programme. It is right that the name of the new service should reflect its main purpose—punishment and rehabilitation of offenders in order to reduce reoffending and protect the public. The Community Punishment and Rehabilitation Service is, therefore, accurate and appropriate.
The consultation paper "Joining Forces to Protect the Public" invited suggestions for the name of a unified service. A list of the suggestions received is in the second list. Community Justice Service was one of those suggestions. Details of those who were sent copies of the consultation paper (excluding in response to requests for it from members of the public) are in the first list. It would not be right to make the responses to the consultation paper public as some of these were submitted in confidence.
We are currently considering new titles for probation officers and other staff. Changes will be made in the Crime and Public Protection Bill.
Organisations and persons sent copies of "Joining Forces to Protect the Public"
- Association of Chief Officers of Probation
- Association of Chief Police Officers
- Central Probation Council
- Chief Constables
- Chief Metropolitan Stipendiary Magistrates
- Council of Circuit Judges
- Government Officers for the Regions
- HM Inspectorate of Probation
- Judicial Studies Board
- Justices' Clerks' Society
- Lord Chief Justice
- Magistrates' Association
- Magistrates' Courts' Committees
- NACRO
- National Association of Probation Officers
- Other Government Departments
- Parliament
- Probation Committees
- Probation Managers' Association
- Probation Services
- The Press
- UNISON
Names suggested for a unified service
- Bureau of Community Punishment
- Community Corrections and Protection Service
- Community Corrections Service
- Community Justice Agency
- Community Justice Enforcement Agency
- Community Justice Enforcement Service/Agency
- Community Justice Service
- Community Offender Bureau for Rehabilitation Action
- Community Protection and Justice Service
- Community Punishment and Re-education Service
- Community Punishment and Rehabilitation Service
135W - Community Sanction Service
- Community Sentence Enforcement Agency
- Community Sentence Enforcement Service
- Community Sentence Supervisory Agency
- Correction Service
- Corrections Service
- Court Advice and Sentence Implementation Service
- Court Enforcement Service
- Court Order Enforcement Agency
- Department of Community Punishment
- Justice Enforcement Agency
- Justice Enforcement and Public Protection Service
- National Resettlement Service
- Offender Control and Supervision Service
- Offender Control Service
- Offender Correction Service
- Offender Management Service
- Offender Monitoring Service
- Offender Risk Management Service
- Offender Supervision and Control
- Offender Supervision Service
- Offending Behaviour Correction Service
- Probation Agency
- Probation and Public Protection Service
- Probation Service
- Public Protection Service
- Public Safety and Offender Management Service
- Punishment and Rehabilitation Service
- Remand Service
- Sentence Enforcement
- Sentence Enforcement Agency
- Sentence Enforcement and Rehabilitation Agency.
§ Mr. Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the restrictions on who can be employed in probation work; and if he will make a statement. [102667]
§ Mr. BoatengAt present there are no centrally laid down restrictions on who can be employed in probation work. This is a matter for individual probation areas and I have no plans to introduce any restrictions on employment in the forthcoming legislation.