Offender Management Bill

I am most grateful to the Minister for the comprehensive way in which she responded to the amendment and the spirit in which she did so. I would be the last person in the world to want another board imposed. Therefore, I am extremely glad to hear that there is a board, which I hope will take on some of the responsibilities which I listed in the amendment. I was also delighted to hear mention of the future role of the Ministry of Justice and am delighted to see the noble Baroness, Lady Ashton, in her place. We look forward to taking part in these discussions with her and I was glad that she was here for this amendment to be able to pick up the flavour of people’s concerns. I was also glad to hear the point about the Corston report because, as the noble Baroness knows, I deferred a Cross-Bench debate that I had secured on account that the Government had not had time to prepare their response. I had agreed to withdraw it until that was done, but the clock is ticking. That was deferred from 9 May and we are now getting on towards the end of June. I hope that it will be soon, because as the Committee has brought out, the needs of women in the criminal justice system increasingly require leadership as well as direction. But in the spirit that the points I have made have been taken on board, are being discussed and are to be taken forward by the Ministry of Justice, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.