§ 5. Mr. Woodasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many more prison officers will be recruited to man the new and refurbished prisons which are planned.
§ Mr. HurdOf the 5,000 extra prison officers whom we plan to recruit between 1 April this year and 31 March, 1988, 1,230 will be needed to man new or refurbished accommodation. I am circulating in the Official Report the establishments concerned, the number of prison officers estimated to be needed for each, and the year in which they are expected to come into operation.
§ Mr. WoodI thank my right hon. Friend for that information. It is important for the proper conduct of prisons that we have both the right numbers and morale in the prison service. Is my right hon. Friend happy in both those regards?
§ Mr. HurdI am not happy yet. I agree with my hon. Friend that prison officers do a remarkably difficult job well and that both their numbers and morale are of high importance.
§ Mr. CorbettIs the Minister aware that excessive amounts of overtime are being worked by prison officers? What plans does he have to increase numbers so that workshops can be reopened and prisoners got out of their cells, in which they are locked for far too long?
§ Mr. HurdI have just answered that question. Part of the increases that have been decided on are needed to man new or refurbished accommodation and part to deal with the kind of problem that the hon. Gentleman mentions.
§ Following is the information:
| Prison Service, England and Wales | |
| New and Refurbished Accommodation 1984–88 | |
| Prison | Number of prison officers |
| 1984–85 | |
| Channings Wood | 20 |
| Erlestoke | 10 |
| Highpoint | 40 |
| Holloway | 30 |
| Wayland | 165 |
| 1985–86 | |
| Stocken | 120 |
| Brixton | 5 |
| Appleton Thorn | 100 |
| Castington | 30 |
| Medomsley | 5 |
| Leyhill | 5 |
| Deerbolt | 10 |
| 1986–87 | |
| Feltham | 210 |
| Hollesley Bay Colony | 5 |
| Full Sutton | 310 |
| 1987–88 | |
| The Mount (Bovington) | 165 |