§ John McDonnellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which probation areas will be financially penalised during the next financial year as a consequence of failing to meet 2003–04 targets; and what size the penalty will be in each case. [160468]
§ Paul Goggins£15 million of the probation areas' budget for 2004–05 has been retained by the Home Office to be distributed to areas as performance bonuses. On the basis of information for the first three-quarters of 2003–04, it is expected that about £12 million will be distributed to areas. It is not yet possible to provide a list of areas and the size of the amount in each case as this will not be known until all the performance data for 2003–04 has been collected and analysed.
Current information indicates that 17 probation areas will receive their full performance bonuses that will result in them having greater than 100 per cent. of their expected budget for 2004–05. A further 11 will receive performance bonuses that result in them receiving at least 99.5 per cent. of their expected budget. The remaining 14 areas will receive at least 97.5 per cent. of their expected budget.