Probation Services

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Justice – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 16 June 2009.

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Photo of Edward Garnier Edward Garnier Shadow Minister (Justice) 2:30, 16 June 2009

I begin by congratulating the hon. Lady on her promotion within the Department. Despite what she and the Secretary of State have said this afternoon, although the number of probation officers fell between 2001 and 2008, the number of managerial staff increased over the same period by 70 per cent. There was also a 77 per cent. rise in the number of less qualified probation service officers. Work loads have risen by more than a third in the past four years, yet 60 per cent. of all newly qualified and expensively trained people are not becoming probation officers.

If I may say so, the Sonnex case tells us all that we need to know about this Government's leadership of the probation service. Instead of fiddling the figures, why do they not spend the money on the front line rather than on fattening up NOMS HQ and on constant, morale-sapping administrative changes?