§ Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there will be a shortfall in the(a) National Probation Service and (b) National Probation Directorate budget for 2003–04. [131164]
§ Paul GogginsThe 2003–04 settlement added £70 million to the probation budget. An overspend on this budget is projected but this is not unusual at this time of the financial cycle and by the end of the year it is anticipated that the budget will be in balance.