On Friday in Cambridge and delivering the 27th Bill McWilliams lecture, Lord Timpson mentioned he was going to Wales on Monday. Well, we now know why. This from BBC news website:-
Not priority to devolve probation says UK ministerA UK government minister has been accused of pouring "cold water" on the prospect of the Welsh government taking control over probation and youth justice.
The Labour-led Cardiff administration has been pushing for further devolution on criminal justice - calls that Westminster colleagues have promised to consider. But Prisons Minister Lord Timpson has told a committee in the Welsh Parliament it is not "a priority" while the criminal justice system is "in crisis".
Labour MS Jenny Rathbone said the comments were very disappointing.
Lord Timpson says the criminal justice system faced "huge pressures" and there needed to be "stability" before "further changes" were considered.
Under the system of devolution established in 1999, the Senedd and Welsh government have never had control over criminal law. Various reports, including one from the former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown, have called for more devolution on criminal justice including youth justice and the probation service.
Last summer's Welsh Labour manifesto said the party would "explore" the devolution of probation "to enable them to be more locally responsive". It was planned as part of a strategic review into probation and added it would "consider" the devolution of youth justice.
Speaking to the Senedd's equality and social justice committee, the Prisons' Minister Lord Timpson told MSs that "we need to be in a much more stable position before we can think about further changes".
Mick Antoniw, the former chief legal adviser to the Welsh Government, says there are "volumes of evidence" that devolution of probation "needs to happen and quickly".
The Labour former counsel general told the committee that there was "no logical response to that other than we've had a decade of delay on actually looking at the enormous accumulation of evidence".
Questioning Lord Timpson, he said: "What you seem to be suggesting is that we are going to go through that process of just continually looking at the evidence without ever really coming to a proper conclusion."
Former Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price added: "Are you ruling out for the foreseeable future the full devolution of executive and legislative powers?".
Lord Timpson said he wanted to "stabilise" a "bruised" service but added: "I'm not ruling anything out, I'm not ruling anything in. "What I'm focused on is trying to sort out the crisis in our justice system."
After the meeting committee chair, Labour MS for Cardiff Central, Jenny Rathbone said the committee was "very disappointed".
"The Welsh government has already started the groundwork to prepare because it believed there was a realistic prospect that these aspects could be devolved soon," she said. "This is in stark contrast to Lord Timpson's evidence before the Committee today which seemed to pour cold water on the prospect."
So Wales joins “Outlier England”!
ReplyDeletehttps://probationmatters.blogspot.com/2025/07/outlier-england.html?m=1
Isn’t this what happens when political agendas override common sense? Real reform should come from those who do the work and live the experience, not from those who meddle in it or profit from it, far removed from the frontline. It feels fitting to reference the author of Outlier England, who put it well in another quote. “The way forward in shaping wider solutions for probation strategies to improve re-entry, resettlement, and rehabilitation should come from frontline supervisory practitioners and those successfully ceasing offending and completing periods of supervision.”
Deletehttps://www.probation-institute.org/news/probation-and-community-supervision-a-magic-journey
Looks like it!
ReplyDeleteI guess we’ll all go back to burying our heads in the sand.
DeleteIt would have been interesting to see how a devolved probation service would have developed outside of central control.
ReplyDeleteParticularly when rehabilitation seems to becoming a " newfound concept" (again!).
I'm struck by the Lords report that thinks prison should be about rehabilitation and reform, which seems to have raised the question of "what are prisons really for?"
Seems a fundamental question, but personally I think the CJS has become so broken it's fundamental questions that need to be asked.
https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/commentary-and-opinion/what-are-prisons-actually-for/5123924.article
https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/519/justice-and-home-affairs-committee/news/208335/prisons-need-to-have-reducing-reoffending-as-their-core-purpose-says-lords-committee/
'Getafix
A bit rich Lord Dimpson saying "we need to be in a much more stable position before we can think about further changes" considering they are constantly tinkering and making changes to suit the needs of the Prisons, maybe its my age but I'm getting lost as to who goes to prison, when they can come out, who gets recalled and who i say is being recalled but please presume he can come out as soon as you fancy it, who low impact, resetteed and ineligible for everything until the next new thing coming soon to a Probation near you....
ReplyDeleteHahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!
ReplyDeleteNothing changes... same old shyte.... who'd have thought status quo would be so popular?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3352xv1gzlo
ReplyDeleteTroubled jail now one of the most 'impressive'
Yet another triumph for the excellent hmpps-led probation:
ReplyDeletehttps://hmiprobation.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/document/an-inspection-of-probation-services-in-gateshead-and-south-tyneside-pdu-2025/
Fieldwork started May 2025: Score 4/21 (~19%)
Overall rating: Requires improvement
P 1.1 Leadership Requires improvement
P 2.1 Assessment - Rating: inadequate
P 2.3. Implementation and delivery - Rating: inadequate
P 2.4. Reviewing - Rating: inadequate
Gateshead and South Tyneside Probation Delivery Unit (PDU) was last inspected by HM Inspectorate of Probation in 2022, when it was rated as ‘Good’ overall. The PDU had strengths and had made some progress against previous inspection recommendations. However, we saw a concerning decline in the quality of some of the work undertaken, especially in practice to keep people safe. Reasons for this included staffing challenges, including periods of high staff sickness, workload pressures on middle managers, and a lack of professional curiosity from an inexperienced practitioner group, whose learning needs were not fully understood.
DeleteThis assessment is wholly consistent with all recent PDU inspection reports and indicates the challenges on the probation frontline.
At the time of this inspection, it was pleasing to see that most practitioners’ workloads were reasonable, and leaders were taking a proactive approach to engaging staff. Leaders were actively managing sickness absence and staff felt managers were invested in supporting their professional development.
Staff were engaged and motivated to do what was best for people on probation. This was driven by meaningful activity to engage people on probation, with staff dedicated to listening to, and acting upon the voices of those being supervised. This translated into our casework, where we saw strong practice to engage people on probation in sentence delivery. At the assessment and planning stages of sentence management, PDU staff generally understood the offending-related needs of the individuals they were supervising and what work they needed to complete with the person. This was supported by strong working relationships with services to help people to change. Some partner agencies were present in probation offices. This facilitated conversations and information-sharing.
However, work to keep the public safe was the weakest area of practice across all our standards. In several cases, essential information had not been gathered from social services or the police, which weakened attempts to keep women and children in particular safe from abusive behaviour. As we see too often, when PDU staff received information that indicated a risk to actual and potential victims, they did not always follow it up or use it effectively to assess and manage risk.
DeleteThe PDU will be disappointed with the overall outcome of this inspection; however with the appropriate attention, it can make the necessary improvements needed to deliver high-quality work to keep people safe from harm.
Martin Jones CBE
HM Chief Inspector of Probation
Welcome To The Machine
Deletehttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6878b9a72bad77c3dae4dcfc/Gateshead_and_South_Tyneside_PDU_inspection_response_letter_-_July_2025.pdf
"Thank you for your inspection reports for Gateshead and South Tyneside PDU, where you made a total of 6 recommendations... In respect of the recommendations, I can confirm that all have been carefully considered... Whilst I acknowledge that there is still much work to be carried out at Gateshead and South Tyneside PDU, I am encouraged that positive outcomes were reported... "
In case anyone missed them, here's a selection of other post-inspection responses from the excellent leadership:
"Thank you for your inspection report for Newcastle Upon Tyne PDU, where you made a total of 5 recommendations... In respect of the recommendations, I can confirm that all have been carefully considered... While I acknowledged that there is still much work to do at Newcastle Upon Tyne PDU, I am encouraged that positive outcomes were reported..."
Thank you for your inspection reports for Derby City and Derbyshire PDUs, where you made a total of 11 recommendations... In respect of the recommendations, I can confirm that all have been carefully considered... Whilst I acknowledge that there is still much work to be carried out at both PDUs, I am encouraged that positive outcomes were reported..."
Thank you for your inspection report for East and West Lincolnshire PDU, where you made a total of six recommendations... In respect of the recommendations, I can confirm that all have been carefully considered... Whilst I acknowledge that there is still much work to be carried out at the PDU, I am encouraged that positive outcomes were reported..."
"Thank you for your inspection reports for Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire PDUs, where you made a total of 11 recommendations... In respect of the recommendations, I can confirm that all have been carefully considered... Whilst I acknowledge that there is still much work to be carried out at both PDUs, I am encouraged that positive outcomes were reported..."
"Thank you for your inspection reports for Probation Service Yorkshire and the Humber (PS YatH) and for the 11 PDUs within the region, where you made a total of 45 unique recommendations... While I acknowledge that there is still much work to be carried out in every PDU, I am encouraged that positive outcomes were reported..."
24 PDU reports published May’24 to May’25
ReplyDeleteaverage % score = 16.5%
6 PDU reports published May'25 to July'25
avg % score = 16%
"On 26 June 2021, the Probation Service unified creating 12 Probation Service regions containing 108 Probation Delivery Units (PDUs) and other non-PDU business units."
Just another 78 to go then?
Left on an earlier post, but worth re-posting I think:-
ReplyDelete"So pleased to see your post and continuing remission. The standard and quality of contributions have declined, in my opinion it is the demographic change, the managerialism that has taken over in the system, the inexperience of PTA’s, online training and now the colourful crayon diagrams in OAsys to assist with the identification of RSR and ROSH. The professionalism of the service has decreased and some find it hard trying to explain professional decision making and just want to tick the box to keep the IT big brother off their backs."
Napo Magazine yesterday:-
ReplyDeleteRespect Probation. Pay Probation.
In this episode of the Napo Podcast, General Secretary, Ian Lawrence, and National Chair, Ben Cockburn, get straight to the heart of the pay dispute. They reveal that negotiations have hit a wall, and now it’s down to us, as a union, to force the change.
Months of talks, countless arguments made, ministers brought into the room and still no pay offer on the table. The money, we’re told, has run out. The process is exhausted. And we’re now calling on political will, which so far has been missing in action.
But what hasn’t run out is our resolve.
This episode lays out how far Napo negotiators have gone including hammering home the facts, staying united across unions, and confronting the employer with the undeniable truth that probation is propping up the justice system. Staff are leaving in droves. And members have had enough. The system has relied for too long on goodwill, and that goodwill is gone.
Despite all of that we are not powerless. As a union, our collective strength is the one thing we still control and it’s time to use it. As one member put it: “We’ll only get what we’re prepared to fight for.” And they’re right.
If the employer won’t listen, and the government won’t act, it’s up to us to shift the balance. This is no longer just about pay. It’s about dignity, value, and the future of the profession.
Listen now, and share widely.
https://napomagazine.org.uk/pay-talks-at-deadlock-now-its-over-to-you/
Don't be silly Lawrence has failed at pay every time and after years of delay the employers come back only when they want ..Lawrence won't manage any action or leadership of a dispute . He just ain't capable. Talking though about meaningless objectives no problem.
DeleteQuite I recall the last extended term pay deal over years. Napo settled a derisory offer and the general secretary offered no advice . It was subsequently agreed. Then the employers renamed on the pay point a year later. The real abuse came tlwhen similar sectors settled it was way above us and then labour came in paid off others in public sector and refused to look at recent deals done and we were well done. Ian Lawrence is not accountable to anyone or function it seems to me.
DeleteAs much as I can't stand the Daily Mail & Telegraph at times, these two papers are who scare the Government the most, the union need to start talking to them and explaining how a strike of Probation Staff in September just as another few thousand prisoners are released early including high risk violent offenders (and for offences of a sexual nature) could effect local communities
DeleteAlways be laugh that mappa is run by a failing probation service and police , outstanding youth justice services having to listen to nonsense from inept services
ReplyDeleteTo be frank it’s time to defund the probation service, stripping it back to core public protection duties. Which is arguably, all it really does now but at a significant cost. Once you add on the monies spent on “strategy” (in name only and certainly not in practice) within the MoJ, this will amount to significant financial savings. That money should then be released to youth services who stand the best chance of impacting early on people’s lives. It’s also time to consider parenting classes for all new parents. Wrap around services for families who need it and greater priority on access to benefits, stable accommodation and employment. Although by this point prison defunding should also be considered to release further cash for local offender services. I appreciate this view will not be shared across the board but let’s face it, the probation service is no longer an agent of change more an agent of incarceration in the community.
DeleteLet’s spend the money where greater successes will be achieved, if not in the short term then definitely in the longer term.