§ 35. Mr. C. Royleasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the current estimated shortage of probation officers; and how many are now in training and likely to be available to meet this shortage.
§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Dennis Vosper)The current estimated shortage is about 150 officers. One hundred and fifty-seven are in training and 72 more have been accepted for training. Eighty-eight of them should be ready for appointment by the end of this year.
§ Mr. RoyleWould the right hon. Gentleman consider approaching the Departmental Committee to see whether it could make recommendations immediately regarding recruitment to the probation service in view of those figures and of the emergency of which we are all aware?
§ Mr. VosperI will consider that, but I think this is a matter which should be left to the Departmental Committee to initiate. I do not know whether my right hon. Friend would want to make an approach at this stage.