Restore probation service, says Napo

The Napo probation and family courts union has called for “a comprehensive investment package” to restore the probation service to the standards that existed “prior to its wilful neglect” by the previous Tory administration.

At a meeting with the lord chancellor and justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood, and prisons, parole and probation minister James Timpson, Napo general secretary Ian Lawrence also called on the Labour government to reopen pay negotiations.

Representatives of Napo and the UNISON public services union pointed out they have a mandate to move towards potential industrial action, although they are “prioritising the need for positive engagement to produce meaningful outcomes for their members”.

The meeting was convened after an urgent request from probation unions who say their members are under “intolerable pressure” due to inadequate pay combined with unsustainable workloads. These have been exacerbated by the previous government’s early release scheme. This allows offenders to be released up to 18 days early.

The new Labour government intends to suspend the current scheme and reduce the time prisoners serve on “standard determinate sentences”, from the current 50% to 40%.

Unions gave a cautious welcome to the new policy — which is likely to be phased in from September — but highlighted the immediate impact of the change on already hard-pressed staff.