I shall make one or two brief points in relation to the clause. I see the need for an inspectorate of those who carry out probation services, but I amnot sure of the point of changing its name from the inspectorate of the national probation service for England and Wales to the inspectorate of probation for England and Wales. The word “national” will be removed, but I think that England and Wales deserve a national inspectorate.

In 2001, the second reform of the probation service since the Government came into office nationalised the service, which is now to be broken down so that it is more a creature of the National Offender Management Service. Is there any purpose, however, in going to the huge of expense of changing writing paper and brass plates on office doors? What is important is that we should have an inspectorate of the probation service, whose functions should be informed by a clear policy. I am concerned that the Government like changing the names of things. Another example is the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, which has apparently been changed to the Deputy Prime Minister’s office, no doubt at vast expense. Those may be minor matters but, on the other hand, if the Government are going to introduce them, they might as well explain them in a way that enables the public to understand how and why that money has been spent.