Offender Management Bill

My Lords, I add my voice to those supporting the amendment. I do so from a contrary position but in agreement with the previous speaker. For a decade, I had the privilege of being the general-secretary of the Institution of Professional Civil Servants, which, by definition, consisted of professionals who entered the Civil Service anywhere in the United Kingdom but in a career service. In a sense they did not care, when they left university or qualified, whether the job was in London or Manchester; they joined a national service to serve wherever they were required. The Probation Service has had that privilege. Over the years, people have risen to the most senior ranks in the Probation Service, and that should not be given up easily. I agree entirely with my noble friend Lord Rosser that that has been the result of empowering ASLEF in the railway industry. I argue that it is not a sensible route to go down, because in practice you want to have the best qualified staff in the best jobs and in the best places to play an efficient role in the Probation Service. I very strongly support the amendment.