Official Statistics

Community Performance Annual, update to March 2024 - Technical Note

Published 25 July 2024

Applies to England and Wales

The Community Performance statistics publication covers the performance of the Probation Service. This document provides more detail on those statistics and is intended to be used as a guide.

1. Probation Performance

The Probation Service

Following the reforms of 26 June 2021, the Probation Service is responsible for managing all those on a community sentence or licence following their release from prison in England and Wales. There are 11 probation regions across England and 1 for Wales.

The Probation Service Performance Framework supports delivery of the Target Operating Model by the Probation Service.

Some rehabilitative services such as personal wellbeing and accommodation are delivered under contract by Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) and specialist organisations. The management of these Commissioned Rehabilitative Services (CRS) contracts is also supported by a performance framework.

The Probation Service Performance Framework

The performance framework is focused on three key objectives:

• Assuring quality – by rebalancing the focus from processes to quality delivery; by introducing new quality measures and strengthening the role of feedback from persons on probation.

• Securing outcomes likely to reduce offending – by capturing outputs and outcomes over which providers have an element of control and for which there is evidence of a link with reduced reoffending.

• Getting the fundamentals right – by holding the Probation Service to account on sentence delivery, enforcement and protecting the public, thereby promoting judicial confidence in probation delivery.

The description and rationale for each Service Level Measure is provided in Annex A in the appendix. This explains what the measure is and why the measure is monitored.

Performance targets

Each service level has a performance target agreed by the Probation Performance Committee, which oversees the governance of the Probation system. For a small number of service levels, targets may differ over the year or between regions. This can be due to substantial variance between the benchmarked performance and the end state target when regional analysis was completed or for other reasons. In these circumstances, probation regions are not expected to deliver services to the level indicated by the end state target from the outset. The Probation Performance Data Tables indicate where differences exist. The National (England and Wales combined) and Annual targets were found as a simple (unweighted) average of applicable regional quarterly targets.

Guide on comparing performance levels

Expected performance and comparisons cannot be made between these statistics and releases of this data prior to the 26 June 2021, because of the reforms to the Probation Service. Furthermore, each caseload of persons on probation brings their own unique challenges, therefore direct comparisons between regions should not be made.

Where significant changes such as method of calculation or change in underlying data are made to a service level a revised version will be released. Due to this, it is not possible to compare the original service level with the revised version.

Details of when a revised version of a service level has been released are:

Date	Service Level Change
July 2022	SL007 is revised and becomes SL007R
July 2022	CRS SL001 is revised and becomes CRS SL001R
April 2023	SL012 is revised and becomes SL012R
April 2023	SL022 is revised and becomes SL022R

Service level performance

For all metrics, performance is measured as a percentage. The percentage is the outcome of the equation:

a / (a + b)

where: ‘a’ is the number of events or instances recorded as ‘positive’ when reported in line with the definitions contained in the appropriate technical note; an excerpt of each technical notes is contained in section 4.

‘b’ is the number of events or instances recorded as ‘negative’ when reported in line with the definitions contained in the appropriate technical note; an excerpt of each technical notes is contained in section 4.

Events or instances recorded as ‘neutral’ when reported in line with the definitions contained in the appropriate technical note are not included in the calculation.

For SL001 and SL020, which are collated from survey data, minimum sample sizes are set in order to provide statistical confidence in the results. Results are provided only for regions where the minimum sample size is met; they are redacted for those where the minimum sample size is not met.

The Commissioned Rehabilitative Services Performance Framework

The performance framework for Commissioned Rehabilitative Services (CRS) maintains the focus on quality and outcomes, incentivised by graduated reductions in payment where performance falls below target levels. 2 service levels apply to all contracts to provide assurance that rehabilitative interventions are delivered:

1) Whether individuals are offered an assessment appointment promptly; and

2) Whether they receive an intervention.

Large contracts contain 2 additional quality measures:

1) Whether delivery of interventions enables individuals to make progress in meeting their offending related needs; and

2) The sufficiency of liaison with the supervising Probation Practitioner.

Probation Scorecard

The Probation Scorecard was developed alongside the Probation Performance Framework. It pulls out the core measures (Operational and System Audit Group (OSAG) quality audits, and management information from data recorded by regions) to show a more complete picture of performance in the probation system.

The Probation Scorecard is owned by the Probation Performance Committee in HMPPS. This committee oversees governance of the probation system, and consists of HMPPS Senior Level Management, including the Directors General and the Chief Probation Officer. All measures, weightings and targets for the Probation Scorecard are agreed by the Probation Performance Committee and reviewed annually.

There are 23 measures included within the Scorecard. These measures are: SL001; SL004; SL005; SL006a; SL006b; SL007R; SL010; SL012R; SL013; SL014; SL015a; SL015b; SL016; SL017a; SL017b; SL020; SL027; SL031; QM030; QM102; QM103; QM104; QM118. For the definitions of these measures, please see Annex A.

Each measure has a different weighting towards the overall score, with the sum of all measure weightings adding up to 100% for each region. Where a measure is missing data for a region, for example if a quality audit is missing, the weighting of the measure is distributed between all other measures within the Scorecard. Each measure is placed into one of three domains: Public Protection; Sentence Delivery; Rehabilitation.

The measures and the intended weightings for each measure for performance year April 2023 to March 2024 are:

Measure	Weighting
SL001	4.0%
SL004	1.5%
SL005	3.5%
SL006a	2.5%
SL006b	2.5%
SL007R	4.0%
SL010	4.0%
SL012R	6.0%
SL013	6.0%
SL014	4.0%
SL015a	4.0%
SL015b	3.0%
SL016	2.0%
SL017a	4.0%
SL017b	3.0%
SL020	4.0%
SL027	4.0%
SL031	3.0%
QM030	6.0%
QM102	8.0%
QM103	9.0%
QM104	6.0%
QM118	6.0%
Total	100.0%

For definitions of the above measures, please see Annex A.

Each measure carries a rating for each region; quality measures (QM) are rated on a 1 to 4 scale, while Service Level (SL) measures have a 1 to 3 scale. The Probation Scorecard Rating is assigned using the total score the region achieved as a percentage of the maximum possible score achievable. As such, the maximum possible score a region can achieve on the Probation Scorecard varies depending on which measures apply to the region, the specific distribution of weightings and whether any data is missing for any region.

The overall percentage score for each region is converted to a rating using thresholds. The thresholds for the performance year April 2023 to March 2024 are:

Probation Scorecard Rating	Probation Scorecard Thresholds
4 - Outstanding	Greater than or equal to 86.6%
3 - Good	Less than 86.6% and greater than or equal to 73.3%
2 - Improvement Required	Less than 73.3% and greater than or equal to 60.0%
1 - Inadequate	Less than 60.0%

2. Statistical Notes

Confidentiality

This statement sets out the arrangements in place for protecting persons’ confidential data when statistics are published or otherwise released into the public domain. The Code of Practice for Statistics states that:

“Organisations should look after people’s information securely and manage data in ways that are consistent with relevant legislation and serve the public good”. (Trustworthiness pillar, T6 Data governance)

To comply with this and with the Data Protection Act of 1998, and to maintain the trust and co-operation of those who use Community Performance Statistics, the following provisions have been put in place.

Private information collected by the Ministry of Justice is stored in line with Ministry of Justice data security policies. Electronic data are held on password-protected networks. All new staff undergo Ministry of Justice security vetting before receiving access to data systems, and all staff undertake mandatory training on information responsibility annually.

Three types of disclosure risk are considered in relation to Community Performance Statistics: general attribution, identification (including self-identification) and residual through combination of sources. Assessment of the risk of disclosure considers the following:

• Level of aggregation (including geographic level) of the data

• Size of the population

• Likelihood of an attempt to identify

• Consequences of disclosure

As a result, the number of monitored subject counts of 30 or fewer are suppressed. This is to prevent the disclosure of individual information.

Timeframes and publishing frequency of data

The statistics in this publication are for the previous 12 months and are planned to be published annually.

Our statisticians regularly review the content of publications. Development of new and improved statistical outputs is usually dependent on reallocating existing resources. As part of our continual review and prioritisation, we welcome user feedback on existing outputs including content, breadth, frequency and methodology. Please send any comments you have on this publication including suggestions for further developments or reductions in content.

Please refer to the consultation document for specific details regarding the plans for this publication next year.

Revisions

In accordance with Principle 2 of the Code of Practice for Statistics, the Ministry of Justice is required to publish transparent guidance on its policy for revisions. A copy of this statement can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/182363/statistics-revisions-policy.pdf

The three reasons specified for statistics needing to be revised are changes in sources of administrative systems or methodology changes, receipt of subsequent information, and errors in statistical systems and processes. Each of these points, and its specific relevance to the Community Performance Statistics publication, are addressed below:

1. Changes in sources of administrative systems/methodology
The data within this publication comes from a variety of administrative systems. This technical document will clearly present where there have been revisions to data accountable to switches in methodology or administrative systems. In addition, statistics affected within the publication will be appropriately footnoted.

2. Receipt of subsequent information
The nature of any administrative system is that data may be received late. For the purpose of this statistics publication, the late data will be reviewed on an annual basis but, unless it is deemed to make significant changes to the statistics released; revisions will only be made as part of the final release containing the calendar year statistics. However, should the review show that the late data has major impact on the statistics then revisions will be released as part of the subsequent publication.

3. Errors in statistical systems and processes
Occasionally errors can occur in statistical processes; procedures are constantly reviewed to minimise this risk. Should a significant error be found, the publication on the website will be updated and an errata slip published documenting the revision.

3. Annex A: Technical Notes

The long descriptions and rationale taken from the technical notes for each Probation Service service level and Commissioned Rehabilitative Services service level. This explains what the measure is, and why the measure is monitored. Long descriptions have also been provided for the OSAG quality metrics.

SL001: Judicial Engagement
Long Description: Percentage of the Judiciary who are satisfied with probation services in each twelve-month period.

Rationale: To gain feedback from the Judiciary about sentencing information and advice given by probation and to evaluate and improve the quality and effectiveness of these services.

SL004 Initial Appointment for Community Sentences
Long Description: The percentage of persons under a community sentence who have an in person appointment, either in office or by home visit, arranged to take place no later than 5 business days after sentence.

Rationale: This ensures that initial contact is sufficiently timely to support offender engagement and compliance and to maintain the confidence of the courts. The timeliness element of the measure is to incentivise good public protection practice and compliance with sentence delivery.

SL005 Initial Appointment for Releases from Custody
Long Description: The percentage of persons who have an office or home visit appointment arranged to take place no later than one business day after release. For those released immediately from court following a period of remand, the timescale shall be three business days.

Rationale: This ensures that the Probation Service discharges the responsibility included in the Licence that the offender should ordinarily report on the day of release, thereby maximising offender engagement and compliance. This measure provides assurance that there is contact with the person following release from prison. The timeliness element of the measure is to incentivise good public protection practice and compliance with sentence delivery.

SL006 (a and b) Initial Sentence Plan Community Sentences and Releases
Long Description: The percentage of persons with a community sentence (b) or a release from custody on licence (a) for whom a sentence plan is completed within 15 business days after attendance at their first appointment.

Rationale: This measure provides assurance that appropriate public protection activity is undertaken. The plan is the cornerstone of high-quality public protection and it is essential that this is conducted early in the sentence.

SL007R Monthly Appointments Offered
Long Description: The percentage of individuals in the community and supervised over the whole of the relevant month, who are offered at least one in-person appointment in each calendar month.

Rationale: Ongoing and regular in person contact supports rehabilitation and ensures changes in risk of offending and risk of harm are identified. Appointments offered are being monitored to support the planned evaluation of blended supervision involving in-person and remote contact.

SL010 Timely Risk Management Plans (Recall Reports Part B)
Long Description: The percentage of Recall Part B (Risk Management Plan) documents which are supplied to the Offender Management Public Protection Group within the required timescale of a person’s Return to Custody; to inform about the level of risk and to enable a timely decision about release or ongoing detention to be made.

Rationale: This measure is to provide assurance that decisions regarding release or ongoing detention following recall can be made in line with legislation, based on mandatory information, without any delay, which may otherwise delay the review of the detention of an offender, which in turn could lead to a claim and an adverse view of the Authority.

SL011 Timely Parole Reports
Long Description: The percentage of indeterminate and determinate parole assessment reports (PAROM1s) that are sent within the timescale specified by the HMPPS Offender Management and Public Protection Group.

Rationale: To ensure timely submission of parole reports by the Probation Service as part of the Generic Parole Process for indeterminate prisoners.

SL012R Completion of Targeted Interventions for People Convicted of a Sexual Offence
Long Description: Successful completions of rehabilitative activities, including Accredited Programmes, Structured Interventions and the Approved Suite of Probation Practitioner Toolkits (ASPPT). Where the terminated cases are convicted of a sexual offence.

Rationale: To ensure that the persons in scope receive the appropriate intervention during their sentence.

SL013 Requirements Completed by Sentence Expiry
Long Description: Percentage of completions of Community Orders and Suspended Sentence Orders including any combination of an Accredited Programme Requirement, a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement or an Unpaid Work Requirement, where those requirements completed successfully.

Rationale: To assess, of the cases that have terminated, the proportion of Community Orders and Suspended Sentence Orders that end with successful completion of attached requirements. This measure gives an overview of sentence delivery over the life of the Order, providing assurance that the Sentence of the Court is delivered.

SL014 Housed on Release
Long Description: The proportion of individuals in settled or temporary accommodation on the night of release from custody.

Rationale: To support individuals in their rehabilitation, and the reduction in re-offending.

SL015 (a and b) Settled Accommodation at 3 Months Post Release/Disposal
Long Description: The proportion of individuals in settled accommodation at three months post release for custodial sentences (a) and three months post disposal for community sentences (b).

Rationale: To support individuals in their rehabilitation, and the reduction in re-offending.

SL016 Employment at 6 weeks Post Release
Long Description: The proportion of individuals in employment at six weeks after release from custody.

Rationale: To support persons in their rehabilitation, and the reduction in re-offending.

SL017(a and b) Employment at 6 Months Post Release/Disposal
Long Description: The proportion of individuals in employment at six months post release for custodial sentences (a) and six months post disposal for community sentences (b).

Rationale: To support persons in their rehabilitation, and the reduction in re-offending.

SL020: Persons Positive Experience
Long Description: Percentage of Persons on Probation with an overall positive experience of engagement in each Survey.

Rationale: To gain feedback from supervised individuals and to evaluate and improve the quality and effectiveness of engagement with them.

SL021 Victim Satisfaction
Long Description: Percentage of victims surveyed who are satisfied or very satisfied with the service received one month after offender release from custody.

Rationale: To evaluate the quality of service delivered to the victims of crime.

SL022R POM/COM Handover Meeting
Long Description: The percentage of handover meetings arranged and attended between the Prison Offender Manager (POM), Community Offender Manager (COM) and prisoner within one week prior to and six weeks after allocation to the Community Offender Manager, for those with more than 10 months to serve in custody.

Rationale: To ensure timely transition arrangements commence between prison and community offender managers so that information about the risk and needs of the individual can be shared, that a positive relationship between the COM and the individual can begin to develop and pre-release planning required to effectively manage risk and support resettlement can commence at the earliest opportunity.

SL023 Pre-Release Sentence Plans for Enhanced Cases
Long Description: The percentage of persons serving 10 months or more, with a first release from custody on licence where a sentence plan is completed between 12 and 2 weeks before the day of release.

Rationale: This measure provides assurance that appropriate public protection activity is undertaken. The plan is the cornerstone of high-quality public protection, and it is essential that this is conducted prior to the person being released.

SL026 Unpaid Work Assessments
Long Description: The percentage of Unpaid Work Requirements that have had an assessment by the Probation Service completed prior to the first Unpaid Work Session being arranged.

Rationale: To maintain focus on the timely commencement of Unpaid Work Requirements.

SL027 Unpaid Work Starts Within 15 Business Days of Sentence
Long Description: The percentage of Unpaid Work Requirements that have had Unpaid Work arranged by the Probation Service to start within 15 Business Days of the sentence date of that requirement.

Rationale: To maintain focus on the timely commencement of Unpaid Work Requirements.

SL028 Unpaid Work Stand Downs
Long Description: The percentage of Unpaid Work sessions lost through stand downs (sessions cancelled on the day) where the Unpaid Work session has been arranged by the Region.

Rationale: Provides focus on minimising the number of Unpaid Work sessions cancelled (Stand Downs) thereby providing confidence to the public that sentences are rigorously delivered.

SL029 Completion of Unpaid Work Requirements Within 12 Months of Disposal
Long Description: The percentage of successful completions of Unpaid Work Requirements within 12 months of the original sentence date where the Person is subject to a Community Order, Suspended Sentence Order or Supervision Default Order that contains an Unpaid Work Requirement.

Rationale: To ensure focus on the positive and timely completion of Unpaid Work Requirements, consistent with the legal requirement.

SL031 Targeted Accredited Programme Starts
Long Description: The percentage of Accredited Programmes started by eligible persons following sentence or release from custody, including those Accredited Programmes delivered as Requirements attached to a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, as a Licence Condition or delivered during a period of Post Sentence Supervision.

Rationale: This measure is to ensure programme integrity and improved programme outcomes.

SL033 Targeted Accredited Programme Completions
Long Description: The percentage of positive completions by eligible persons of Offender Behaviour Accredited Programmes delivered as Requirements, attached to a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, as a Licence Condition or delivered during a period of Post Sentence Supervision.

Rationale: This measure is to ensure programme integrity and improved programme outcomes.

SL040R Recording Protected Characteristics
Long Description: The proportion of cases where Protected Characteristics are recorded in National Delius.

Rationale: To deliver services as indicated by the characteristics of individual cases. Additionally, to assess disparities in service delivery and whether the needs of cases with different characteristics are met.

CRS SL001R Supplier Assessment Appointment Timeliness (revised)
Long Description: The percentage of referred Persons on Probation who were offered a Supplier Assessment Appointment (‘SAA’) that was scheduled to take place within ten working days of Referral.

Rationale: To assure that Persons on Probation are offered a prompt assessment of their suitability for the service, so that decisions are taken and services are started in a timely manner.

CRS SL002 Intervention Appointment Attended by Service User
Long Description: The percentage of Referred Service Users assessed as suitable who attended an Intervention Appointment (which may include the Intervention Commencement Appointment) over the lifespan of the Referral.

Rationale: To assure that Referrals are started in a reasonable timeframe, and to assure that engagement in services is prioritised.

CRS SL005 Intervention Appointment Attended within 20 working days by Service User
Long Description: The percentage of Referred Service Users assessed as suitable who attended an Intervention Appointment (which may include the Intervention Commencement Appointment) within 20 working days of the approval of the first Service User Action Plan.

Rationale: To assure that Referrals are started in a reasonable timeframe, and to assure that engagement in services is prioritised.

QM030 Unpaid Work Delivery
Long Description: Assesses the quality of the Unpaid Work (UPW) assessment and whether the UPW placement is appropriate to the Person’s risks and needs and includes the offer of education, training and employment. Considers if the placement/project provides a meaningful and quality work environment and whether UPW is delivered and managed effectively to promote compliance and completion within 12 months.

QM102 Enforcement
Long Description: Assesses the quality of decision-making on the acceptability of any failures to comply with the sentence, and the quality of action taken to enforce unacceptable failures to comply.

QM103 Risk Management
Long Description: Assesses the quality of work to manage Risks of Serious Harm (RoSH), including type and frequency of contact, engagement with the individual and others to manage risk, and action to respond to changing in risk.

QM104 Sentence Delivery
Long Description: Assesses the quality of delivery of the sentence requirements/conditions, whether sufficient progress is facilitated towards achieving the objectives of the sentence plan, and how the individual’s Protected Characteristics and inclusion needs are responded to during delivery.

QM118 Assessment and Planning
Long Description: Assesses the quality of risk and need assessments, risk management plans, sentence plans, and how Protected Characteristics and inclusion needs are taken into account during planning.

4. Annex B: Glossary of terms

Accredited/offending behaviour programmes	A structured programme that is evidence-based. Programmes are designed to address specific offending related factors which are identified as leading to offending behaviour. The programmes vary in length and complexity and are targeted according to the risk and offending related needs of the offender. Examples include domestic violence, thinking skills, sexual offending and substance misuse. Many programmes are nationally defined and accredited by the Correctional Services Advice and Accreditation Panel (CSAAP).
Community Accommodation Service Tier 3 (CAS-3)	Temporary accommodation for up to 12 weeks for individuals who would normally be released from prison or moving on from Approved Premises or Bail Accommodation and Support Services, homeless or rough sleeping in 5 probation regions (Yorkshire and the Humber, North West, Greater Manchester, Kent, Surrey and Sussex and East of England).
Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC)	The organisations previously responsible for the delivery of offender management to medium and lower risk offenders. A single parent company may have owned several CRCs.
Electronic Monitoring	A way of remotely monitoring and recording information on an individual’s whereabouts or movements, using an electronic tag.
Home Detention Curfew	Home Detention Curfew (HDC) is a statutory scheme that allows the Secretary of State to release certain prisoners earlier than would otherwise be the case. It applies to prisoners who are serving sentences of between three months and under four years. It is designed to assist prisoners to resettle into the community. Prisoners released on HDC are required to comply with an electronically monitored curfew by wearing a tag and remaining at a curfew address (normally for 12 hours per day).
Licence	The period in which a prisoner is released from prison to serve the remainder of their sentence in the community. Offenders subject to post-release licence are required to adhere to specific conditions as part of their licence. Conditions for offenders released from determinate sentences are set by the governor/controller (on behalf of the Secretary of State) from the releasing prison for determinate sentences. Where the sentence is indeterminate, licence conditions are set by the Parole Board.
Offender Rehabilitation Act 2014	The Act that introduced the current legislative framework, including ensuring persons released from custodial sentences of over 1 day are subject to spend a minimum of 12 months supervision in the community, and making available the ‘Rehabilitation Activity Requirement’ as part of a community order or suspended sentence order.
Probation Service (PS)	The organisation responsible for the delivery of offender management; organised into twelve geographical regions.
Probation Practitioner and Sentence Management	Sentence management provides an end-to-end process of supervision by a named Probation Practitioner throughout a sentence. The Probation Practitioner is responsible for the overall management of the offender and discharges this by; determining and implementing the sentence plan and liaising with all agencies involved in delivering the requirements of the sentence to ensure it is delivered effectively and public protection is maximised. Previously referred to as Offender Manager or Responsible Officer.
Post-sentence supervision	Provisions in the Offender Rehabilitation Act 2014 created a new supervision period to be served by offenders released from custodial sentences of more than 1 day but less than 2 years. The supervision period will follow the licence period, and tops up the licence so that the total period under supervision in the community is 12 months. For example, an offender subject to a licence period of 4 months would then be subject to a supervision period of 8 months. The purpose of the post-sentence supervision period is the rehabilitation of the offender. As with licence conditions, requirements under the supervision period are imposed by the Secretary of State.
Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR)	A requirement that can be part of a community order or suspended sentence order introduced by the Offender Rehabilitation Act 2014 and replacing the previous Supervision Requirement and Activity Requirements. The intention is to create a requirement that will enable providers to work with persons with sufficient flexibility to meet their needs and more effectively rehabilitate them.
Recall	The process of returning a person to custody if the person fails to comply with any licence condition.
Recall Review/Recall Part B	A Recall Review takes place after an individual has been returned to custody for a standard (as opposed to fixed) term. The resulting Recall Review document is referred to as a Recall Part B.
Release on temporary licence (ROTL)	A mechanism that enables prisoners to participate in necessary activities, outside of the prison establishment, that directly contribute to their resettlement into the community and their development of a purposeful, law-abiding life. There are four types of temporary release licence: Resettlement Day Release (RDR): to allow prisoners to re-establish their links with family and the local community, for example by taking part in community projects, working, attending training and educational courses, or establishing housing. Resettlement Overnight Release (ROR): similar to resettlement day release, but with a view to the prisoner spending time overnight at their release address or an approved temporary hostel address. Special Purpose Licence (SPL): a short duration temporary release, often at short notice, that allows eligible prisoners to respond to exceptional, personal circumstances and to wider criminal justice needs, for example visiting dying relatives, attending funerals, weddings, medical appointments, court, tribunals or other inquiries. Childcare Resettlement Licence (CRL): for certain prisoners who are the sole carer of a child under 16 years, to enable them to maintain contact and prepare them for their parental duties on release.
Sentencing Act 2020	The Act came into force in December 2020 to create the Sentencing Code, which brings together the legislative provisions which courts refer to when sentencing individuals.
Service Level Measure (SL)	Synonymous with “service level”, “performance measure” and “performance metric”. These are descriptions of the activities monitored for performance purposes.