Devolution of youth justice & probation service for Wales 'not on the agenda'

A UK minister has appeared to “row back” on a commitment to devolve powers over probation and youth justice to Wales, with Westminster set to retain responsibility.

- CHRIS HAINES

In 2019, an independent commission - led by Lord Thomas, the former head of the judiciary - recommended that justice policy should be “determined and delivered” in Wales. But nearly six years on, devolution has stalled, with Welsh and UK ministers suggesting a phased and piecemeal approach to transferring powers as happened in Greater Manchester.

In November, a report set out three options for devolution - transfer of executive powers, full lawmaking and executive responsibilities, or an agreement on commissioning services.

Giving evidence to the Senedd equality and social justice committee today, ministers implied the Welsh and UK Governments will pursue the co-commissioning model.

Lord Timpson, the UK prisons and probation minister, intimated that devolution would not be a priority amid “massive pressures” on the justice system.

Mick Antoniw, the former counsel general to the Welsh Government, pointed to “volumes of evidence” that devolution of probation “needs to happen and quickly.

Lord Timpson, who lives near HMP Berwyn, one of the UK’s biggest prisons, said colleagues have had a meeting on local delivery options for youth justice.

He told the committee UK ministers would look at the Greater Manchester model but he cautioned of “huge” pressures and a need for stability.

“If we lurch from problem to problem, we are just going to put sticking plasters all over everything,” he said, advocating “sensible, sustainable and evidence-led” policy instead. Lord Timpson stated he was more concerned about challenges in probation than prisons - warning the service is unstable, with probation officers having an average caseload of 35.