§ 52. Mr. Spearingasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates he has made of the future likely demands on the Probation Service; and what plans he has to meet them.
§ 75. Mr. Dormandasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to increase the number of probation officers.
§ Mr. MaudlingThe strength of the service at the end of last year was 3,426. I estimate that by the end of 1975 at least 4,400 whole-time officers will be needed to cope with increases in the present tasks of the service, and the Government are setting the target of 300 more than this to provide for more treatment of offenders in the community.
Plans are now being made for 200 additional training places, of which one half will be available in the Autumn of 1971 in new courses being established at the Polytechnics of Birmingham, Manchester and Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
§ 79. Mr. Waddingtonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to ensure that sufficient people of the right calibre continue to enter the Probation Service; and if he will make the salaries paid in the Probation Service comparable with those paid by the children's departments of local authorities.
§ Mr. CarlisleThe Government are planning to provide 200 additional training places in order further to expand the probation and after-care service. Probation pay is a matter for consideration in the first instance by the Joint Negotiating Committee for the Probation Service. The Committee will be making recommendations to my right hon. Friend, and I have no doubt that due account will be taken of remuneration in the local authority social services.