Report highlights a colossal failure of the Conservatives’ part-privatisation of probation – Richard Burgon

Richard Burgon MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, responding to the Chief Inspectorate of Probation’s 2017 Annual Report, said:

“This report highlights what a colossal failure the Conservatives’ part-privatisation of probation has been, putting the public at greater risk and increasingly leaving the taxpayer out of pocket. 

“It is totally unacceptable that the Tories recently bailed out the privatised probation companies with hundreds of millions of pounds of public money when they are not even meeting basic expectations, while slashing staff and axing services. 

“The Government must urgently repair the damage their privatisation is causing. No more new money should go to these companies until they are fit for purpose and can make a real difference to keeping our communities safe.

“Labour is reviewing when and how to return Community Rehabilitation Companies to public control, as part of our wider plan to restore probation to the award-winning service it was before the Tories’ botched privatisation.”