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Tory probation sale 'risks public safety'

Service could be handed to dodgy privateers

Striking probation officers warned the public yesterday that their safety is put at risk by the government's privatisation gamble.

Thousands of dedicated workers poured out of offices across Britain at lunchtime to raise the alarm about the 70 per cent sell-off of the probation service.

Leaders of probation union Napo drove home their message on a bus tour of London, which passed the Ministry of Justice and the Royal Courts.

Napo president Tom Rendon said they had "great responses" from members of the public worried about the government's "massive gamble."

Private contractors G4S and Serco are under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office but could nonetheless be handed responsibility for rehabilitating "low" and "medium" risk offenders.

The two firms are among the privateers who stand to win publicly-funded contracts if services are outsourced next April.

Front-line probation officer Thomas Hudson told the Star that making profits and helping people back into society are completely incompatible.

Speaking from the Worcester picket line, he said: "Probation work is not cheap and was never intended to be run for profit.

"We will throw money at certain interventions if they work because it's not about whether we're going to make a profit, it's about whether or not we'll reduce the risk of people causing harm."

Some of Mr Hudson's colleagues at the top-rated West Mercia Probation Trust have won service awards from Worcester's high sheriff.

But he added: "The fear is that contracts will be awarded to the lowest bidder and, given that intervention work is expensive, the only way to cut costs is to lose staff or cut pay."

The chairman of the parliamentary justice unions group Elfyn Llwyd said that Tory Justice Secretary Chris Grayling was entirely to blame for the strike.

Mr Llwyd said: "The level of dialogue with the Ministry of Justice has been appalling.

"When you hit a brick wall you have to use every tool available to you."

Striking staff were joined on picket lines by other trade union members and people taking part in the People's Assembly bonfire of austerity.

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