Select Committee · Public Accounts Committee

Efficiency and resilience of the Probation Service

Status: Open Opened: 10 Jul 2025 15 recommendations 12 conclusions 1 report

Reforms of probation services were carried out in 2014, which divided the service into two – a National Probation Service, dealing with the most serious offenders, and twenty-one private sector-led Community Rehabilitation Companies, dealing with lower-risk offenders. These reforms were heavily criticised , and the service was reunified in 2021 with the aim of delivering …

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
65th Report - Efficiency and resilience of the Probation Se… HC 1235 4 Feb 2026 27 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

1 item
1 Conclusion 65th Report - Efficiency and resilience… Not Addressed

Committee took evidence on the efficiency and resilience of the Probation Service.

On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) on the efficiency and resilience of the Probation Service.1

Government response. The government's response, using boilerplate acceptance language for a non-recommendation, outlines broad plans for improving Probation Service performance and implementing a revised framework by April 2026, which does not directly address the introductory conclusion item.
HM Treasury

Oral evidence sessions

1 session
Date Witnesses
1 Dec 2025 Adam Bailey · Ministry of Justice, Dr Jo Farrar CB OBE · Ministry of Justice, James McEwen · Ministry of Justice, Jim Barton · HM Prisons and Probation Service, Kim Thornden-Edwards · HMPPS View ↗

Correspondence

2 letters
DateDirectionTitle
21 May 2026 From cttee Letter to the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Justice relating to Effici…
8 Jan 2026 To cttee Letter from the Chief Executive Officer at HM Prison & Probation Service relati…