Electronic Monitoring programme
Public Accounts Committee
Closed
Inquiry
Electronic monitoring (‘tagging”) allows the police, courts, probation, and immigration services to monitor the location and compliance with court orders an offender outside custody’s, and take action as necessary. HM Prison & Probation Service plans to expand the use of tagging but recently decided to suspend development of a new …
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10
Recommendations
18
Conclusions
1
Report
1
Oral session
1
Event
Activity timeline 3 events
14 Dec
2022
2022
21 Oct
2022
2022
Report published
20 Jun
2022
2022
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
20 Jun 2022
View on parliament.uk
Electronic Monitoring programme
Antonia Romeo · Ministry of Justice
Dr Jo Farrar · Ministry of Justice
James McEwen · Ministry of Justice
Jim Barton · HM Prisons and Probation Service
Reports 1 report · click to expand
| Title | HC No. | Published | Items | Response |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twenty-First Report: Transforming electronic monitoring services | HC 34 | 21 Oct 2022 | 28 | Responded |
Recommendations & Conclusions
14 results
8
Conclusion
Accepted
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
Witnesses admitted there should have been stronger governance and more scrutiny of the programme from...
Witnesses admitted there should have been stronger governance and more scrutiny of the programme from the Ministry of Justice. In late 2019, HMPPS prepared an 6 Q 90 7 Q 17 8 Qq 21, 26; C&AG’s report, para 3 9 …
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Government Response
The government stated it had already implemented measures, introducing an improved control framework in November 2021 and strengthening departmental governance structures during 2021-22 with additional sub-committees and early warning indicator controls.
HM Treasury
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9
Recommendation
Accepted
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
Both the Ministry and HMPPS told us that they had learnt lessons from weaknesses in...
Both the Ministry and HMPPS told us that they had learnt lessons from weaknesses in governance and scrutiny in the programme. The Ministry explained that a lack of scrutiny can be the nature of big departments with a small corporate …
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Government Response
The government states that the Investment Committee has delegated powers to make decisions on portfolio projects. It also states that an improved control framework was introduced in November 2021 and governance structures were strengthened during 2021-22.
HM Treasury
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12
Conclusion
Accepted
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
HMPPS’s failure to deliver Gemini also means that police forces and the Probation Service lack...
HMPPS’s failure to deliver Gemini also means that police forces and the Probation Service lack timely access to tagging data to investigate crime, supervise offenders and protect the public.20 HMPPS expected Gemini and the user portal to provide a range …
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Government Response
The government agrees to improve the timeliness of responses to requests from probation practitioners for GPS location monitoring data by March 2023, and to review the process by which police officers make requests for information from the EM supplier by the same date. It states police do not currently consider real-time access to be a priority.
HM Treasury
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13
Conclusion
Accepted
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
We asked why government was not exploring mobile phone GPS technology or identity scanning software,...
We asked why government was not exploring mobile phone GPS technology or identity scanning software, such as fingerprint scanning used by banks. HMPPS explained that the challenge of using mobile phones in tagging is that they would not be solely …
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Government Response
The government agrees and commits to improving the timeliness of GPS data responses for probation practitioners and completing a review of police information request processes by March 2023, while continuing to keep police requirements under review.
HM Treasury
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14
Recommendation
Accepted
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
In 2006, our Committee found that there was insufficient evidence available to determine whether tagging...
In 2006, our Committee found that there was insufficient evidence available to determine whether tagging helped to reduce re-offending or promote rehabilitation. We recommended that the Home Office—which previously managed tagging services— should carry out research to establish the role …
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Government Response
The government agrees with the committee’s recommendation and will use EM data to inform reporting. They will also implement a benefits management strategy and realisation plan by April 2023 and develop a formal evaluation strategy for EM.
HM Treasury
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15
Conclusion
Accepted
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
The Ministry admitted that its evaluation in the transformation programme was not as strong as...
The Ministry admitted that its evaluation in the transformation programme was not as strong as it should have been and recognised that it needed to put more effort into evaluation going forward. It told us that it was extending its …
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Government Response
The government agrees to improve its evaluation of electronic monitoring programs, including rigorous evaluation of long-term impacts on reoffending, and outlines specific actions like improved data collection, a benefits management strategy, and a formal evaluation strategy.
HM Treasury
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17
Recommendation
Accepted
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
The NAO found persistent issues in the quality and availability of HMPPS’s data on tagging,...
The NAO found persistent issues in the quality and availability of HMPPS’s data on tagging, including inefficient processes, poor-quality data, limited data capture and access, and siloed data and systems. In particular, HMPPS only captured data on offenders’ age and …
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Government Response
The government agreed to the recommendation with a target implementation date of August 2023, outlining that EM data analysts now receive monthly data, a data improvement plan is developed, and data scientists have access to detailed, cleansed data for analytics.
HM Treasury
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18
Conclusion
Accepted
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
In 2020, HMPPS launched a tagging expansion programme to widen the use of tagging to...
In 2020, HMPPS launched a tagging expansion programme to widen the use of tagging to different groups of offenders. As part of the programme, it aims to: develop a flexible and scalable service; build the evidence base to demonstrate the …
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Government Response
The government agreed to the recommendation with an August 2023 target, stating a benefits management strategy and realization plan would be in place by April 2023 and the Ministry of Justice is developing a formal evaluation strategy for Electronic Monitoring.
HM Treasury
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20
Conclusion
Accepted
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
HMPPS launched an acquisitive crime pilot in April 2021 to impose location monitoring on prison...
HMPPS launched an acquisitive crime pilot in April 2021 to impose location monitoring on prison leavers convicted for theft, burglary or robbery offences. The 19 police forces participating in the pilot send data on alleged acquisitive offenders to HMPPS’s system, …
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Government Response
The government agreed to the recommendation with a target of March 2023, stating the agency is working with EM service providers to improve the timeliness of responses to probation practitioners' requests for GPS location monitoring data.
HM Treasury
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21
Conclusion
Accepted
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
HMPPS launched its Home Office Immigration Enforcement project, on behalf of the Home Office, in...
HMPPS launched its Home Office Immigration Enforcement project, on behalf of the Home Office, in August 2021. This project extended the use of tagging using GPS tags to Foreign National Offenders who are subject to deportation proceedings. HMPPS rolled out …
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Government Response
The government agreed to the recommendation with a target date of February 2023, committing to produce and embed a robust lessons learned strategy and approach across the EM programme and with stakeholders.
HM Treasury
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22
Conclusion
Accepted
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
Given its poor experience of developing bespoke technology in its transformation programme, HMPPS told us...
Given its poor experience of developing bespoke technology in its transformation programme, HMPPS told us that it was “very cautious” about commissioning further novel solutions. For example, while tags which monitor multiple drugs at the same time are currently unavailable …
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Government Response
The government agreed to the recommendation with a target date of February 2023, committing to produce and embed a robust lessons learned strategy and approach across the EM programme and with stakeholders.
HM Treasury
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23
Conclusion
Accepted
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
In parallel with managing its expansion projects, HMPPS is undertaking a re- procurement for its...
In parallel with managing its expansion projects, HMPPS is undertaking a re- procurement for its contracts with companies to run the tagging services. HMPPS has relied on Capita’s ‘bridge’ contract throughout its transformation programme. This was only intended to be …
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Government Response
The government agrees with the recommendation and states that the procurement of new contracts is being run in compliance with The Sourcing Playbook, and risks are managed in accordance with the EM Portfolio Risk Management Strategy. They will update the committee in August 2023, once new contracts have been awarded.
HM Treasury
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25
Conclusion
Accepted
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
We questioned HMPPS on what it saw as the biggest risks in the expansion programme.
We questioned HMPPS on what it saw as the biggest risks in the expansion programme. HMPPS told us that it is challenging reprocuring the service as it is changing and as the number of tagged people is increasing. It explained …
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Government Response
The government states that project risks are managed according to the EM Portfolio Risk Management Strategy and that the procurement of new contracts is being run in compliance with the government standard, The Sourcing Playbook.
HM Treasury
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26
Recommendation
Accepted
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
Earlier in its transformation programme, HMPPS outsourced the role of systems and services integrator to...
Earlier in its transformation programme, HMPPS outsourced the role of systems and services integrator to Capita, which involved pulling together suppliers’ work to deliver an end-to-end tagging service.48 In 2017, we examined earlier progress in the programme. We found that …
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Government Response
The government states that project risks are managed according to the EM Portfolio Risk Management Strategy and that the procurement of new contracts is being run in compliance with the government standard, The Sourcing Playbook.
HM Treasury
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