11 Mar
Question
Prison Leavers: Resettlement

The session concentrated on issues concerning the socio-economic reintegration of prison leavers, with a strong emphasis on the role of mentoring and support organizations. The core discussions revolved around the effectiveness of ongoing rehabilitation efforts, the necessity for additional support for volunteer groups, the importance of listening to victims during sentencing reviews, and a critical evaluation of government efforts to reduce reoffending rates. The debate highlighted successful initiatives, potential gaps in current strategies, and initiated discussions on the broader implications of the government's justice policies.

Outcome

The outcome underscored a cross-party agreement on the merits of mentoring and rehabilitation support, with commitments to bolster efforts that engage former prisoners in meaningful community activities. However, divergent views remain regarding sentencing policies and victim involvement, signaling a need for further debate. The government pledged to maintain victim-centered reform efforts.

Key Contributions

Bobby Dean
Liberal Democrats

Questioned the Minister on the merits of ensuring prison leavers receive resettlement support from mentors.

Sir Nicholas Dakin

Acknowledged the importance of peer mentoring and continuous review to enhance consistency in services.

Andy SlaughterChair of the Justice Select Committee
Labour

Praised successful rehabilitation projects involving ex-offenders and queried governmental support for such initiatives.

Dr Kieran MullanShadow Minister
Conservative

Expressed skepticism regarding the effectiveness of government sentencing policies, emphasizing an overemphasis on keeping individuals out of prison rather than fulfilling victims' expectations.

Original Transcript
Bobby Dean
Carshalton and Wallington
LD
Question
UIN: 903114

7. If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of ensuring that all prison leavers receive resettlement support from mentors.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice
Sir Nicholas Dakin

The Ministry of Justice recognises the benefits of mentoring in resettlement and is currently reviewing our approach to peer mentoring to make sure it is consistent and effective.

There are many excellent organisations delivering a range of peer-led rehabilitation support, including Ingeus, Wizer and the Wise Group.

Bobby Dean

At my surgery a couple of weeks ago, I had two fantastic volunteers show up from Sutton Night Watch, a local homeless charity. They had been working with prisoners, both before and after they left their cells, to help them reintegrate into the community.

They are doing fantastic work, but they now need to expand. They need more space and more people. Can the Minister explain what support is available to volunteers like them to help them to do their work with prisoners?

Sir Nicholas Dakin

I applaud the work that the hon. Member describes. It is certainly the sort of work that needs to continue. Overall, the levels of homelessness and rough sleeping that we have inherited are far too high.

We are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to develop a long-term strategy to put us back on track to end homelessness. If he wishes to write to me about that particular case, I will follow it up.

Mr Speaker

I call the Chair of the Select Committee.

Andy Slaughter
Hammersmith and Chiswick
Lab

As part of the Justice Committee’s work on rehabilitation, I have come across some excellent projects on preventing reoffending, such as Revolving Doors, Peer Support and Key4Life, that use reformed ex-offenders as mentors.

On a visit to Wormwood Scrubs prison last month, I saw the Right Course restaurant, which gets almost 60% of its trainees into employment on release. What are the Government doing to support and expand successful rehabilitation projects like these?

Sir Nicholas Dakin
11:57

I thank the Chair of the Select Committee for his identification of these very good actions that are going on within the prison estate. The Prison Service is keen to encourage all this sort of activity, and I will follow this up with my hon. Friend directly.

Mr Speaker

I call the shadow Minister.

Dr Kieran Mullan
Bexhill and Battle
Con
11:57

I welcome the efforts to help prison leavers to reintegrate, but I am concerned that this Government will soon be keeping people out of prison who should be there as part of their proper punishment for offending.

The Government commissioned a sentencing review running on that very premise, and that review recently released its interim report. Can the Minister point to anywhere in that entire 65-page report that has anything to say about the evidence of what victims want?

Sir Nicholas Dakin

The sentencing review’s interim report describes the situation at the moment, and it is the first stage of that independent review’s addressing this long-standing issue. Frankly, this is something that the Conservatives spent the last 14 years avoiding tackling. That is—[Interruption.

] I will leave it there.

Dr Mullan

The House will have heard very starkly that the Minister did not offer me any clarity. I can help him by telling him that there is not one word anywhere on the expectations of victims of crime and their families—[Interruption.] Not one word.

Worse than that, it cherry-picks evidence from reports to support a narrative that an ill-informed public do not know what they want and do not understand.

Does the Minister agree that for that review to have any credibility whatsoever, it must engage seriously with what victims and the public want when it comes to the use of prison for the punishment of serious offenders?

Sir Nicholas Dakin
11:59

We heard fully the commitment from the Under-Secretary of State for Justice, my hon. Friend the Member for Pontypridd (Alex Davies-Jones), and the Lord Chancellor that victims are front and centre of our approach to fixing the mess that the Conservatives left us.

There is a victims representative on the panel, as the hon. Member well knows. Victims were fully involved and engaged in this.

I have sadly met too many victims in this role, and I have encouraged all of them to contribute to the report and committed to them that they will be fully involved in the implementation of the report.

Instead of carping from the sidelines trying to get cheap soundbites, it is about time the Conservatives rolled their sleeves up and tried to help us sort out their mess.

All content derived from official parliamentary records