Chris Grayling has cost taxpayers £470m after his probation services shake-up was ditched
Mr Grayling planned a 'rehabilitation revolution' to manage offenders
CHRIS Grayling has cost taxpayers another £470million after his disastrous probation services shake-up was ditched.
The calamity-prone minister has been accused of taking unacceptable risks with public money after rushing through prisoner reforms.
These had to be scrapped at huge cost and the system is still in chaos, MPs warn — with criminals going on to commit more offences, not fewer.
A damning verdict will be delivered today on the ex-Justice Secretary, now dubbed “Failing Grayling” after more mistakes as Transport Secretary.
A Public Accounts Committee report will state: “Inexcusably, probation services have been left in a worse position than they were in before the reforms.”
Mr Grayling planned a “rehabilitation revolution” by allowing firms and charities to manage low-risk offenders on release.
State-run probation officers were to mind dangerous lags. But plans were rushed in 2015 with “unacceptable risks”.
The 21 Community Rehabilitation Companies, paid on results, earned far less than they thought and faced huge losses.
The report said: “Supporting and exiting contracts early cost at least an additional £467million.”
From 2011 to 2017, offences by re-offenders rose 22 per cent and those recalled to jail rose 47 per cent from 2015 to 2018.
The Sun Says: Chris failing
WE so rarely agree with Corbyn’s aides.
But when Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald says it is “abundantly clear this country can no longer afford Chris Grayling” it’s hard to argue.
In one day we are told that Grayling’s catastrophic, rushed probation service shake-up cost taxpayers almost half a billion pounds when it collapsed.
And that billions more have been blown on his watch as Transport Secretary, bailing out London’s Crossrail network as its delivery date slipped three years.
This is the same man who paid Eurotunnel £33million compensation after bungling No Deal ferry contracts. And then there’s the state of our railways.
The complete catalogue of his costly calamities would be too long for this column. Yet Theresa May keeps her old campaign chief in place, while sacking Gavin Williamson in a hissy fit.
The wheels are well and truly off.
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