Today in Parliament, Aylesbury MP, Rob Butler, has paid tribute to the probation service and asked the Minister of State for Prisons on how vital it is to have enough probation officers to oversee sentences and reduce reoffending.
Rob’s question to the Minister follows a recent visit to MTC Novo in Bicester, where offenders from Aylesbury undertake parts of their sentences.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Rob said:
"I recently visited MTC Novo's Hub for offenders from Aylesbury and was very impressed by the dedication and the commitment of the staff, as well as of those completing their sentences there.
"Does my Honourable Friend agree that a vital element of reducing reoffending is having enough well trained and skilled probation officers who can thoroughly oversee and supervise sentences?"
The Minister was clear in her commitment for a strong probation service, saying:
"I absolutely agree with my Honourable Friend and I would like to express my thanks to all the staff at MTC Novo and Thames Valley CRC.
"He's absolutely right to say that dedicated prison officers are a key part of reducing reoffending and that's why last month we launched the Probation Workforce Strategy, which sets out our commitment to recruit an additional thousand probation officers by the end of January of next year.
"It's also about how we work with them and how we invest in their skills, and we will be focusing on their skills, recruitment, retention, diversity, leadership and well-being."
