Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 28
28
Probation Service faces severe strain, requiring prioritisation if offender volumes increase
Recommendation
MoJ assured us that it models the impact of any demand and supply measures on staffing levels and has governance structures in place to ensure the system can cope with proposed changes.93 However, HMPPS 84 Ministry of Justice, Economic and social costs of reoffending - GOV.UK, July 2019 85 Qq 65, 72, 81 86 Qq 72–75 87 Qq 65–66 88 Q 99 89 Ministry of Justice, Annual Statement on Prison Capacity: 2024, December 2024, page 9 90 C&AG’s Report, para 3.9 91 Q 99 92 Ministry of Justice, probation press release, 12 February 2025 93 Q 100 17 acknowledged that if decisions from the sentencing review lead to increased volumes of offenders under the Probation Service, it will need to look at how it will prioritise work due to the strain the system is already under.94 94 Q 100 18
Government Response
A response document is linked to this report, dated 16 May 2025. Response attribution to this conclusion has not been verified. Read the response document ↗