HC Deb 16 April 1959 vol 603 cc1110-1 To inquire into and make recommendations on:
  1. (a)all aspects of the Probation Service in England and Wales and in Scotland, including recruitment and training for the Service, its organization and administration, the duties of probation officers, and their pay and conditions of service having regard to their qualifications and duties and to pay and conditions of service in related fields; and
  2. (b) the Approved Probation Hostel system in England and Wales and in Scotland.
10. Mr. Janner

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the Principal Probation Officer's report on the work of the Leicester Probation Service during 1958, from which it is evident that the two outstanding features of this year have been an increase in all sections of their probation duties and a serious staff shortage for the greater part of the year with the result that despite the tenacity of each probation officer and despite the extra hours of work put in by them to cope with the situation, some relinquishing of previous standards of supervision has been inevitable; and what immediate steps he now proposes to take in this matter.

The Joint Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. David Renton)

Yes, Sir. Probation committees are responsible for appointing sufficient probation officers, and I understand that the Leicester Probation Committee is doing its best to fill the one vacancy for a man officer. I am glad to say that more men than ever before are now in training for probation work and will become available for appointment in due course.

Mr. Janner

Is the Minister aware that there is very considerable concern in Leicester because the lack of people to fulfill the duties of probation officer is resulting in the failure of the systematic examination of cases, while individual cases cannot be supervised by the principal or the senior probation officer? The resulting position is becoming very serious, so will the hon. and learned Gentleman take steps to remedy the position?

Mr. Renton

The position in Leicester is not really so bad. When the vacancy for a man has been filled the average case-load will be reduced from its present level of about 69 to the level of 575, which is considered reasonable. The Report of the Principal Probation Officer said that the average case load for women probation officers was not excessive.