Justice Week 8-12 December 2008

June 28, 2007

Government Defeat in the Lords

The Government was heavily defeated in the House of Lords on the issue of national and regional versus local commissioning.

Read the debate on Hasard - see column 622

An amendment tabled by Conservative Peers Baroness Anelay and Viscount Bridgeman and by Liberal Democrats Lord Wallace and Baroness Linklater, has the effect of removing responsibility for commissioning from the Secretary of State and giving it to local Boards and Trusts.

The amendment is crucial. If commissioning were to be national or regional, the Probation Service faces extinction.

The Government was defeated by 173 votes to 131.

During the debate the Government also promised to consider bringing forward an amendment to ensure that national collective bargaining was retained - another significant advance - and conceded that all work with the Parole Board would be exempt from commissioning for at least three years.

Napo centrally will now be lobbying supportive Labour MPs to back the crucial amendment on local commissioning when the Bill returns to the Commons. This could be as early as 19th July.

Lobbying information is being sent out to members via branches over the next few days and watch this space for details of what you can do to help the campaign.

Posted by kfalcon at June 28, 2007 11:22 AM