It’s been a big week in Westminster for the justice system and for Napo members, it brought some welcome recognition, strong parliamentary challenges to government policy, and confirmation that many of our concerns are now firmly on the record.
Probations role in the justice system recognised
Across two days of debate — in the House of Lords on Monday and in Justice Questions on Tuesday — probation took centre stage. Ministers talked up their new direction, promising a £700 million increase in funding by the end of the spending review and a recruitment drive to bring in 1,300 more officers this year.
There were kind words too. Lord Timpson, speaking in the Lords, described probation as “vital” and “where the heavy lifting is done,” while Shabana Mahmood, during Justice Questions declared: “we inherited a justice system in crisis, with prisons churning out better criminals, not better citizens.”
That language marks a shift but has come after years of pressure from Napo. And it will take far more than soundbites to fix the damage.
Our concerns echoed by in Westminster
Throughout both sessions, peers and MPs repeatedly raised issues that Napo has campaigned on for years. Lord Bach called the way probation has been treated “frankly, scandalous.” Lord Macdonald described the service as “demoralised, underfunded and depressed,” and warned that unless urgent changes are made, any attempt to reduce reoffending will fall flat.
In the Commons, Warinder Juss MP asked directly what the government is doing to improve staff morale and tackle unmanageable workloads. Others demanded to know whether the promised investment would reach local services like housing, addiction treatment, mental health support — the very things our members say are missing when they try to help people turn their lives around.
Technology, tagging and trust
The government continues to talk up electronic monitoring as a silver bullet, pointing to 20% reductions in reoffending. But several peers — including Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd — warned of a “dubious history” of private tagging companies, weak enforcement, and delays in responding to breaches.
These are red flags Napo has raised time and again. Technology cannot replace trained, trusted professionals and community supervision must be more than GPS dots on a screen.
IPP: still waiting for justice
Napo has long campaigned for an end to the scandal of IPP sentences. Tessa Munt MP pressed the issue again, urging the government to establish a resentencing panel. But Sir Nicholas Dakin dismissed the idea, saying he did not want to offer “false hope” to those still serving indefinite terms.
Hope has already been denied for over a decade and these injustices continue to undermine public trust in the system.
Napo’s voice is being heard. Let’s keep it that way
So yes, the government’s tone may be changing. But as many parliamentarians rightly pointed out this week, ambition is easy, delivery is not.
Napo will keep fighting to ensure that warm words are backed by real change, real respect for our members, and real investment in rehabilitation. And it’s clear that our concerns are finally being echoed in the places where it matters.
One Response
Fine words from the politicians and the Lords. Words are words. They mean nothing. “Enough is enough”, I am hoping that every time I hear my colleagues saying those words they will back it up with action when needed.