Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 27
27
Deferred
Probation Service faces significant increase in demand for resettlement services
Recommendation
As these additional prisoners progress through their sentences, there will be higher demand for resettlement services. MoJ’s central estimate in its recent modelling work on forecast volumes of prison leavers starting their supervision in the community shows that, while projections are uncertain, the Probation Service may need to supervise around 5,900 additional prison leavers by March 2025. This corresponds to an increase of around 10% compared with HMPPS’s existing caseload of around 60,900 in September 2022.69 The NAO recommended that HMPPS develops a long-term strategy to manage the anticipated increase in demand for resettlement services.70 68 Qq 101–102 69 C&AG’s Report, para 3.19 70 C&AG’s Report, para 30f Resettlement support for prison leavers 17
Government Response Summary
The government agrees and will respond to the Committee by May 2024 with projections for the prison population and demand for resettlement services. They will also publish a new annual statement on prison capacity and update on prison build, and HMPPS will provide further information after the annual statement is published, additionally committing to 'consider' the demand for resettlement services alongside the NAO's recommendation for a long-term strategy.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: May 2024 The MoJ will respond to the Committee by the six-month deadline, setting out the projections for its prison population, bringing six new prisons online, and the level of demand for resettlement services. In addition, the department will be publishing a new annual statement into prison capacity and an update on prison build, as announced to Parliament on 16 October 2023. This will include a clear statement of current prison capacity, future demand, and a forward pipeline of prison build, which will be independently scrutinised. Following publication of the annual statement, HMPPS will write to the Committee with further information in response to the recommendation above. The department will also consider the level of demand for resettlement services alongside the National Audit Office report recommendation for longer term strategy on resettlement provisions.