Written evidence from the Justice Unions
Parliamentary Group (PB 48)
We are writing on behalf of the Justice Unions Parliamentary
Group in response to the Justice Select Committee inquiry into
the Probation Service. We welcome the Justice Select Committee
inquiry as the Probation Service is currently undergoing critical
challenges.
As you may be aware the Justice Unions Parliamentary
Group (JUPG) comprises over 50 MPs and Lords from all parties
and meets together with the unions (the Trade Union and Professional
Association for Family Court and Probation Staff, the Public and
Commercial Services Union and the Prison Officers Association)
on a regular basis to discuss the issues concerning the criminal
justice system.
The Trade Union and Professional Association for
Family Court and Probation Staff (Napo) represents more than 9,000
probation and family court staff throughout England, Wales and
Northern Ireland; the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS)
represents 300,000 members organised throughout the civil service
and government agencies, and the Prison Officers Association (POA)
represents 35,000 uniformed prison grades and staff working within
the field of secure forensic psychiatric care in the public and
private sectors.
The Justice Unions Parliamentary Group believes that
the proposed Government cuts of 25% between 2010 and 2012-13 will
make it impossible for the Probation Service to carry out its
statutory duties. Whilst the Probation Service received significant
increases in resources between 1997 and 2006 it is our view that
much of this was not directed at frontline approaches. However,
we believe that the proposed cuts will affect frontline operations
most severely. We are of the opinion that this will, in turn,
lead to a significant rise in the short-term prison population.
We have attached a Napo briefing entitled Role
of the Probation Service for the consideration of the Committee.
(Annex, not printed)
September 2010
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