To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps are being taken to ensure that sufficient probation officers are trained over the next two years. (277055)

Five hundred and fifty probation officers graduate from their diploma course in autumn 2009 and 300 will graduate in autumn 2010. This is sufficient to meet expected vacancies for probation officers over the next two years. I intend to publish shortly a consultation on a new framework for qualifications’ training and career progression for probation practitioners which will be in place from April 2010.