text_body: --- DIVISION TITLE ---
  
  Offender Rehabilitation Bill - New Clause 5 - Provision of Probation Services: Report to Parliament
  
  --- MOTION EFFECT ---
  
  
  @ MP voted aye to require a report on the performance of those contracted to provide probation services a year after the Act comes into force. 
  @ MP voted no against requiring a report on the performance of those contracted to provide probation services a year after the Act comes into force. 
  
  The majority of MPs voted against requiring a report on the performance of those contracted to provide probation services. This relates to the provisions in the Offender Rehabilitation Bill to enable probation services to be contracted to private companies. The report, the proposal for which was rejected by this vote, would have required information to be provided in relation Freedom of Information Act performance, and on the application of penalty clauses in the contracts. 
  
  The text of the proposed new clause rejected in this vote was:
  
  :â(1) The Secretary of State must lay before both Houses of Parliament a report on the performance of all providers contracted to provide officers to perform the duties of supervisor or responsible officer as described in this Act after one year of this Act coming into force.
  :(2) The report must includeâ
  :(a) an assessment of the information made available by each provider to the public, and their assistance to the Ministry of Justice in its performance of duties under the Freedom of Information Act 2000; and
  :(b) an update on what measures were included in each contract to allow the Secretary of State to penalise a provider that fails to perform to national standards or fulfil its contractual obligations, and on what occasions these measures have been brought into force.â.
  
  Clause 14 of the Offender Rehabilitation Bill states:
  :The responsible officer must beâ
  :(a) an officer of a provider of probation services, or
  :(b) a person responsible for monitoring the offender in accordance with an electronic monitoring requirement imposed by the relevant order.â 
  
  Clause 2 of the Offender Rehabilitation Bill inserts a new clause 256AA into the Criminal Justice Act 2003, subclause(8) of which states:
  
  :In this Chapter, âthe supervisorâ, in relation to a person subject to supervision requirements under this section, means an officer of a provider of probation services who is for the time being responsible for discharging the functions conferred by this Chapter on the supervisor in accordance with arrangements made by the Secretary of State.
  
  ==
  
  * [1] [http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2013-14/offenderrehabilitation.html Parliament's webpage on the Offender Rehabilitation Bill]
  
  
  --- COMMENTS AND NOTES ---
  
  (put thoughts and notes for other researchers here)
  