§ 23. Mr. Boydenasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present shortage of probation officers; and in what areas the shortage is most serious.
§ Miss PikeThe number of vacancies now advertised or otherwise known to exist is 67 (52 men and 15 women), but the real shortage is probably greater. Most of the vacancies are in the densely populated areas.
§ Mr. BoydenWould the hon. Lady not agree that great damage to recruitment to the probation service has been done by the long drawn out pay negotiations? Could the Home Office give a guarantee that in future when negotiations take place they will be speedier and that automatic arrangements will be made to review pay as it falls behind the rising cost of living?
§ Miss PikeI would not accept what the hon. Member says. Recruitment has improved recently and we hope that more and more recruits will be coming forward.
§ Sir K. ThompsonApart from salary negotiations, what contacts are maintained between the Department and the Association of Probation Officers to discuss means of improving conditions?