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Probation Service

Volume 712: debated on Monday 5 October 2009

Questions

Asked by

To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total expenditure of the Probation Service in England and Wales in financial years 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, and 2008-09. [HL5290]

The following table provides resource expenditure figures for probation boards and trusts. This is taken from the published annual consolidated accounts of local probation boards for 2004/05 to 2007/08. For 2008/09 the consolidated accounts for local boards are not yet published and the figure is taken from the National Offender Management Service annual report and accounts.

Year

Resource

£ million

2008/09 (Provisional)

897

2007/08

845

2006/07

807

2005/06

770

2004/05

688

Due to organisational and structural changes, the expenditure on probation services met directly by local boards and trusts (and hence included in their accounts) has changed. Some expenditure, notably some IT and premises costs, has been met centrally by the National Probation Directorate or by the National Offender Management Service. Care should be taken in comparing figures over a long period of time.

Asked by

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many staff by grade are employed by the Probation Service in England and Wales; and what are the projected workforce employment figures for (a) 31 March 2010, and (b) 31 March 2011. [HL5294]

The table shows the number of staff in post in the National Probation Service in England and Wales on 31 December 2007, the latest date for which information is available.

Job Group

Total1

Chief Officer

42.00

Deputy Chief Officer

72.17

Assistant Chief Officer

300.68

Area/District Manager

185.60

Middle Manager

1,596.22

Senior Practitioner

258.05

Probation Officer

5,368.16

Practice Development Assessor

171.89

Trainee Probation Officer

1,138.00

Treatment Manager

161.47

Probation Services Officer

6,060.30

Psychologist

17.20

Other Operational Staff

615.76

Support Staff - Administration

4,494.75

Support Staff - Other

297.54

Other Staff

114.57

Total

20,894.34

1The figures provided are Full Time Equivalent (FTE) and are about to be made public.

As no final decisions have been taken on budgets for subsequent years, it is not possible to provide accurate staffing projections for March 2010 and 2011.

Responsibility for resourcing levels ultimately lies with each probation board or trust, as they are the employers of probation staff. It is for them to take the action necessary at a local level to ensure they can deliver the required service within available resources.