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Offender Management Bill

The Committee will know that we on these Benches do not normally have two Front-Benchers coming in on one amendment; it is not a practice that we like to pursue. With the indulgence of the Committee, I rise only to ask a specific question that has nothing to do with the way in which my noble friend responded to the amendments. I want to ask for clarification on a matter raised by the noble Lord, Lord Hylton. When he spoke, I understood him to say that he appreciated that probation services would not be put out for contestability in 2010. The noble Lord, Lord Hylton, is helpfully nodding his agreement. It was my understanding that the Government’s commitment to delay putting out services to contestability until 2010 related only to those core services given protection in Clause 4, and that the Government had not bound themselves with regard to other services that might be opened up to contestability before 2010. I would be grateful if the Minister could clarify that point.