asked Her Majesty's Government:

What action they have taken to support the voluntary sector in the management of approved premises, formerly known as probation and bail hostels.

My Lords, the voluntary-managed premises are grant-funded using a formula applied to all approved premises. They enjoy equal access to policy guidance and national training initiatives, and are subject to the standard performance framework. A new service specification has been introduced this year itemising the respective responsibilities of the NOMS Public Protection Unit, voluntary management committees and local probation boards. The Government fund the National Association of Probation & Bail Hostels, a representative organisation for the voluntary-managed sector. We are conducting a review of how approved premises are financed, which should be completed by the autumn.

My Lords, I thank the Minister for that Answer. What provisions will be made to ensure equality of treatment for employees of the probation trusts envisaged under the Offender Management Bill, and what provisions will be made to ensure that the excellent work being done by the voluntary-managed premises is not destroyed in a finance-driven tendering process through the regional offender managers under that Bill?

My Lords, I share the right reverend Prelate's view of the high quality of the work that is done. We want to preserve that high quality and ensure that we benefit from it. That is why we are doing the review to which I referred in my initial Answer. Secondly and separately, the right reverend Prelate asked about continuity of employment for those employed by the new probation trusts, which will be set up if and when the Offender Management Bill becomes law. Obviously there will be protection and continuity of employment, and other steps will be taken to ensure equality in that respect.

My Lords, I thank the Minister for confirming that there will be a review of the way that the hostels are managed. Will the review take into account the grants paid to voluntary organisations which manage the hostels and which are not able to keep pace with the salaries paid to those in the Probation Service for approving the hostels? That creates a discrepancy in the sense that either those organisations run into financial difficulties or two types of service come about, with first-class and second-class bail hostels. Will the Minister take those factors into account when the review takes place?

My Lords, the noble Lord makes a very important point, but the review has to look, in particular, at the sustainability of the organisations that are providing the hostels, which I think underlies his point.