HC Deb 09 July 1964 vol 698 cc595-6
12 and 13. Sir J. Eden

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what further consideration he has given to the representations made by the National Association of Discharged Prisoners' Aid Societies in which they called for a guarantee that the officers of the local societies would be given employment in proposed new Probation and After-Care Service; and what reply he has sent;

(2) whether he is satisfied that the knowledge and experience of the existing Discharged Prisoners' Aid Societies will be fully available to the proposed Probation and After-Care Service; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Brooke

I am sure that Probation and After-Care Committees will make full use of the relevant experience and knowledge of local Discharged Prisoners' Aid Societies. I have explained to the National Association of Discharged Prisoners' Aid Societies that I as Home Secretary cannot give a guarantee that all employees of Discharged Prisoners' Aid Societies will be appointed to the proposed Probation and After-Care Service, since the decision will not rest with me; it must rest with the Probation and After-Care Committees which will be the employing authorities. My hope is that most of these existing employees will in fact be appointed to the new service, because I attach great importance to this.

Sir J. Eden

While thanking my right hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask whether he will continue to do all that he can to stress the importance of employing these people in the new service, especially as they have acquired special experience and expertise? Would not he agree that many of them have been, and are, doing most devoted and loyal work, many of them for extremely small salaries which the existing societies can only just afford to pay? Will he encourage at every turn the continued employment of these people who have done such useful work?

Mr. Brooke

I shall certainly do so. I said that I attach importance to the re-employment of as many of these people as possible. I think that they have generously agreed that it will be of great value if we can get the whole After-Care Service on to a more systematic basis than it has had hitherto.