HC Deb 18 June 2004 vol 422 cc1171-2W
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) prisoners and (h) people under supervision of the probation service have obtained qualifications in basic skills in Merseyside in each year since 1997. [177935]

Paul Goggins

Until 2000 there were no clear definitions of what an adult should be expected to know, understand and do at each level of literacy, numeracy and spoken language. The Government's Skills for Life strategy is raising levels of adult basic skills through the introduction of national standards and curriculum documents for listening, speaking, reading, writing and numeracy. These now provide the framework for all adult literacy, numeracy and ESOL screening tests, diagnostic tools, programmes of study and qualifications.

In 2002–03 central monitoring of literacy, numeracy and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) was introduced for offenders under the supervision of the National Probation Service (NPS). This is the first year for which national targets were set. Targets were introduced in Prison Service establishments in 2000–01, from which date only aggregate figures are available. 2002–03 is the first year from which figures are available at establishment level.

The number of qualifications obtained by offenders in prison and under probation supervision in Merseyside from 2002–03 is contained in the tables:

Basic skills qualifications; offenders in custody
Target Achieved
2002–03 506 915
2003–04 692 938

Basic skills qualifications: offenders under probation supervision
Target Achieved
2002–03 38 95
2003–04 155 234

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government are taking to maintain community and local involvement in the probationary services as part of the restructuring process. [175227]

Paul Goggins

The National Offender Management Service will ensure that effective links with bodies such as local criminal justice boards, crime and disorder reduction partnerships, drug action teams and local authorities, are maintained and developed. All regional offender managers will be required to establish these links within their region and to develop other community and neighbourhood net works as appropriate.

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