§ Mr. Englishasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has now reached a decision about the future organisation affecting prison welfare officers; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir F. SoskiceI have been giving careful consideration, in consultation with my Advisory Council for Probation and After-Care and the various interested organisations, to the best means of giving effect to the recommendations of the Advisory Council on the Treatment of Offenders in respect of prison welfare work. I have reached the conclusion that the quality of the welfare service, and the interchange and collaboration84W between it and the probation and aftercare service which are essential to an effective system of after-care, will be best ensured by filling prison welfare posts by the secondment for limited periods of probation officers, rather than by perpetuating a separate prison welfare service. A detailed scheme to give effect to this decision is being worked out and I hope to have it in operation by the end of the year.