SOUTH YORKSHIRE TRUST PRISONS BID

That this House notes with great concern the decision of South Yorkshire Probation Trust to enter into agreement with G4S Security Services for the purpose of bidding to run the three Yorkshire prisons: HM Prison Lindholme, HM Prison Moorland and HM Prison Hatfield; understands that this has resulted in 20 probation officers currently seconded to offer rehabilitation in those jails being locked out because of a supposed conflict of interest; further notes that with Humberside Probation Trust being part of the in-house bid this would mean two probation trusts publicly competing with each other for busness; is awarethe probation trusts are publicly funded bodies and believes that no public funds should be used as part of any commercial bid to runwhat essentially willbe private prisons; and calls on the Government to confirm the long-standing commitment that prisons and probation should work closely together to assist with rehabilitation.