Tag: Jo Stevens

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his announcement of 13 August 2016 on guaranteeing EU funding beyond the date the UK leaves the EU, whether funding for the National Offender Management European Social Fund Co-financing Programme is guaranteed.

Damian Hinds

In his announcement on 13 August the Chancellor guaranteed that structural and investment funds projects, including ESF, signed before the Autumn Statement, would be fully funded. The agreement with the National Offender Management Service is covered by this guarantee. The Chancellor extended the guarantee in his announcement on 3 October. The Chancellor confirmed that the government will guarantee EU funding for structural and investment fund projects, including agri-environment schemes, signed after the Autumn Statement and which continue after we have left the EU provided that these deliver good value for money and are in line with domestic strategic priorities.

The administration of the European Social Fund in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the devolved administrations. Where the devolved administrations sign up to structural and investment fund projects under their current EU budget allocation prior to leaving the EU, the government has confirmed that it will ensure they are funded to meet the announced commitments.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2015-10-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Federal Minister of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth in the German government on meeting with the Thalidomide Trust’s National Advisory Council on financial compensation for people with thalidomide.

Mr David Lidington

Following representations by the Government, senior representatives from the German government travelled to London to meet with the Trust in July. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office continues to provide support to the Thalidomide Trust’s National Advisory Council to enable them to further their dialogue with the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens and Youth, including through another meeting.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-01-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases have been transferred from community rehabilitation companies to the National Probation Service for risk escalation.

Andrew Selous

Offenders managed under the statutory Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements and those who present a high risk of serious harm are managed by the National Probation Service (NPS), while medium- and lower-risk offenders are managed by the 21 Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs).

Risk is a dynamic factor, and in many cases the degree of risk presented by an offender will change during the course of his or her sentence. The new probation structure that was put in place by the previous Government is designed to respond to this by providing for management of offenders initially allocated to a CRC to transfer to the NPS if their risk increases to the higher level.

In the first eight months following the handover of the CRCs to their new owners, 5281 offenders have been transferred from CRCs to NPS, out of a total of 234,229 offenders managed by the CRCs and NPS.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will review the National Offender Management Service’s Benchmarking Policy and efficiency programme in HM Prison Rochester.

Andrew Selous

The Benchmark Project involves applying the ‘benchmark’ developed in competition. Its purpose is to contribute to the further efficiencies public prisons were required to make and to optimise the effective delivery of services to help reduce re-offending. Applying the benchmark to an establishment involves two elements: the regime refresh and a new approach to staffing, which follows the principle of resource following risk. The benchmarking process includes a mechanism for Governors to formally raise resourcing issues and for additional resources to be deployed if deemed necessary. HMP Rochester has implemented the ‘benchmark’ principles however current recruitment levels of instructional staff mean that full implementation is not yet complete. Therefore, it is not proposed to revisit the Benchmarking Policy in HMP Rochester.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-04-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, against which community rehabilitation companies the Authority Step-in action provided for by section 27 of the Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRC) Amended and Restated Services Agreement has been used since 1 February 2015; and in response to which issues such an action has been taken.

Andrew Selous

Thanks to these reforms, offenders in prison for less than 12 months are now receiving support from the probation providers for the very first time.

Since new owners began running Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) on 1 February 2015, the Secretary of State has not exercised his powers of written consent against any Boards of any CRC. The Secretary of State has also not used section 27 of the Amended and Restated Services Agreement against any CRC.

We closely monitor and robustly manage providers to make sure they fulfil their contractual commitments to maintain service delivery, reduce reoffending, protect the public and provide value for money to the taxpayer.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether employment and skills funding, announced by the Department for Work and Pensions on 26 January 2016, and allocated to the National Offender Management Service, will be guaranteed after the UK leaves the EU.

Damian Hinds

In his announcement on 13 August the Chancellor guaranteed that structural and investment funds projects, including ESF, signed before the Autumn Statement, would be fully funded. The agreement with the National Offender Management Service is covered by this guarantee. The Chancellor extended the guarantee in his announcement on 3 October. The Chancellor confirmed that the government will guarantee EU funding for structural and investment fund projects, including agri-environment schemes, signed after the Autumn Statement and which continue after we have left the EU provided that these deliver good value for money and are in line with domestic strategic priorities.

The administration of the European Social Fund in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the devolved administrations. Where the devolved administrations sign up to structural and investment fund projects under their current EU budget allocation prior to leaving the EU, the government has confirmed that it will ensure they are funded to meet the announced commitments.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Colombian government about the FARC prisoners on hunger strike.

Mr Hugo Swire

We understand that there are members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on hunger strike in 13 prisons across the country. Whilst the United Kingdom cannot interfere in Colombia’s judicial process, we have in the past raised concerns regarding due process and prison conditions with the Government of Colombia – particularly in relation to imprisoned trade unionists. That said we do not currently intend to make specific representations to the Colombian government about the current hunger strike by members of the FARC.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-01-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many community rehabilitation companies have completed his Department’s risk audit; and what the results of those audits are.

Andrew Selous

We monitor the performance of Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) closely, to make sure they fulfil their contractual commitments to maintain service delivery, reduce reoffending, protect the public and deliver value for money to the taxpayer. All CRCs have been audited by the Ministry of Justice, as part of a rolling programme of operational assurance audits. These internal audits provide assurance to contract management teams on a range of measures.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2016 to Question 22664, when those contract breaches took place; and with what procedures G4S failed to comply.

Andrew Selous

Pursuant to the response to PQ 22664, the two occasions on which financial remedies were applied took place between February and April 2015 and May and July 2015. G4S failed to comply with operational procedures, meaning that the number of incidents that took place was higher than the agreed level. Performance points are accrued when an incident or other custodial service failure occurs. Financial remedies are then applied when the total points exceeds the relevant performance baseline. A performance baseline is allowed in recognition of the complex operational nature of prisons where we know that there will be occasional incidents no matter how well the prison is run. This charge protocol is a longstanding practice in prison contracts.

As the Justice Secretary said last month, the safety and welfare of all those in custody is vital. That is why an independent improvement board has been appointed to provide increased oversight, scrutiny and challenge of managerial arrangements at Medway, in particular in relation to the safeguarding of young people.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jo Stevens on 2016-04-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which community rehabilitation companies have been the subject of an authority audit by his Department since February 2015; and if he will publish such reports.

Andrew Selous

Major transitions are always challenging, but figures show the performance of Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) and National Probation Service, is continually improving. Thanks to these reforms, offenders in prison for less than 12 months are now receiving support from probation providers for the very first time.

Operational assurance audits were completed by the Ministry of Justice on all Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) during the first year of operation. The reports of these audits are commercially sensitive and, as such, will not be released. It is normal Government practice not to release commercially sensitive information.

We hold providers rigorously to account for their performance and take action wherever they are falling short. We are continuing to monitor the performance of CRCs closely.

Following an audit by the Ministry of Justice last year, South Yorkshire CRC developed an action plan.