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House of Commons votes in favour of Offender Management Bill

1.3.07

MPs voted in favour of passing the Offender Management Bill through its third reading in the House of Commons yesterday.

The bill will enable all sectors to play their proper part in reducing re-offending. Under the bill, NOMS will be able to commission services from a wide range of organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors and ensure access to the best providers for the job.

Ministers have responded to concerns about the pace of change by including a statutory commitment in the Bill to return to both Houses of Parliament before any of probation’s court-related work is commissioned from outside the public sector. Ministers have also made a number of commitments to strengthen local accountability as the Bill progresses.

NOMS Chief Executive Helen Edwards says the bill will end the statutory monopoly of the 42 local probation boards to provide probation services.

"We think they are trying to do too much and many third sector organisations, many with a long history of working with offenders, have made it clear to Ministers that they feel under-utilised and that their role has diminished. They want to play a greater part, as do some private sector organisations.

"NOMS can only deliver through its service providers, partners and alliances. Most of these are at a local level.
These partners will also help us overcome some real delivery challenges. The Bill will enable this by allowing us to respond flexibly at the local level, building on local partnerships and the development of Local Area Agreements."

The Offender Management Bill will also clamp down on illegal activity in prisons by reinforcing measures to prevent the smuggling of mobile phones and other banned articles. A new amendment will also make mandatory polygraph testing a licence condition for sex offenders after their release from a minimum 12 month prison sentence, following an initial pilot in three regions.