Electronic Monitoring programme

Public Accounts Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 19 May 2022 Closed: 14 Dec 2022 Parliament page
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 … Read more
9 Recommendations
19 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
1 Event
Activity timeline 4 events
14 Dec
2022
Report published
21 Oct
2022
Report published
20 Jun
2022
Oral evidence
20 Jun
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
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
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Twenty-First Report: Transforming electronic monitoring services HC 34 21 Oct 2022 28 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
16 results
Clear
2 Recommendation Not Addressed
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
HMPPS remains reliant on outdated technology which puts the tagging service at risk of failing.
HMPPS remains reliant on outdated technology which puts the tagging service at risk of failing. Due to the prolonged delays in the programme, HMPPS is relying on legacy technology and will have to use its current case management system until … Read more
Government Response
The government provides a response related to air quality standards, which is completely unrelated to the recommendation about HMPPS's outdated technology and electronic monitoring systems.
HM Treasury
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3 Recommendation Not Addressed
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
HMPPS has failed to provide police forces and the Probation Service with timely access to...
HMPPS has failed to provide police forces and the Probation Service with timely access to the tagging information they need to effectively supervise offenders and protect the public. HMPPS expected Gemini and the user portal to enhance probation officers’ supervision … Read more
Government Response
The government states that local authorities are responsible for developing their own Clean Air Plans. This is not related to the recommendation about HMPPS.
HM Treasury
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5 Recommendation Not Addressed
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
HMPPS’s innovative use of technology in its expansion projects has yielded some encouraging early results.
HMPPS’s innovative use of technology in its expansion projects has yielded some encouraging early results. HMPPS has achieved some initial positive results from using new technology in its alcohol monitoring scheme and acquisitive crime Transforming electronic monitoring services 7 project. … Read more
Government Response
The government has consulted on a revised National Air Pollution Control Programme (NAPCP) which includes robust actionable measures for further consideration to deliver compliance with the 2030 targets for all air pollutants. This is not related to the recommendation about HMPPS.
HM Treasury
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6 Recommendation Not Addressed
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
HMPPS’s poor track record in its transformation programme does not inspire confidence that it will...
HMPPS’s poor track record in its transformation programme does not inspire confidence that it will be well-equipped to handle risks in its £1.2 billion expansion programme. HMPPS is re-procuring contracts to run the electronic monitoring service. It is attempting to … Read more
Government Response
The government provides a response related to air pollution control, which is completely unrelated to the recommendation about HMPPS's contract procurement for electronic monitoring and risk management.
HM Treasury
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1 Conclusion Not Addressed
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence...
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the Ministry of Justice (the Ministry) and HM Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) on HMPPS’s electronic monitoring (‘tagging’) transformation programme.1
Government Response
The government states that information is effectively communicated to the public. They launched an Air Quality Information System (AQIS) Review to ensure members of the public, and vulnerable groups, have what they need to protect themselves and understand their impact on air quality. This is not related to the recommendation about HMPPS.
HM Treasury
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8 Conclusion
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 … Read more
HM Treasury
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13 Conclusion
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 … Read more
HM Treasury
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16 Conclusion
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
We asked HMPPS what information it shared with the judiciary to inform their sentencing choices.
We asked HMPPS what information it shared with the judiciary to inform their sentencing choices. It explained that it had an extensive programme of engagement in place to ensure judges and magistrates were aware of available services. However, it told … Read more
HM Treasury
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17 Conclusion
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 … Read more
HM Treasury
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18 Conclusion
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 … Read more
HM Treasury
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19 Recommendation
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
HMPPS launched alcohol monitoring services in October 2020 for offenders sentenced in the community.
HMPPS launched alcohol monitoring services in October 2020 for offenders sentenced in the community. In November 2021 and June 2022, it extended the scheme to include those leaving prison, in Wales and in England respectively. Alcohol tags measure alcohol concentration … Read more
HM Treasury
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20 Conclusion
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, … Read more
HM Treasury
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21 Conclusion
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 … Read more
HM Treasury
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22 Conclusion
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 … Read more
HM Treasury
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24 Conclusion Not Addressed
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
HMPPS told us it had learnt lessons from its transformation programme and was applying these...
HMPPS told us it had learnt lessons from its transformation programme and was applying these to its re-procurement of its contracts to deliver tagging services. In addition to pursuing off-the-shelf systems, it told us that it had decided to limit … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation and provides general risk management and procurement processes for the electronic monitoring contracts but does not address the substance of the recommendation.
HM Treasury
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28 Conclusion Not Addressed
Twenty-First Report: Transforming …
We asked HMPPS whether it will be prepared to step in to handle any problems...
We asked HMPPS whether it will be prepared to step in to handle any problems arising from this approach. It told us that it was ready to step in and had strengthened its governance and is holding regular meetings with … Read more
Government Response
The government describes its general risk management and procurement processes for the electronic monitoring contracts but does not specifically address how it will step in to handle problems arising from the approach as the committee asked.
HM Treasury
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Government Response AI assessment · 19 of 9 classified
Accepted 7
Accepted in Part 2
Acknowledged 2
Not Addressed 7
Rejected 1
Total 9 recs + 19 conclusions