§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men and women prison and borstal welfare officers, respectively, are employed; how many vacancies are unfilled; and what proposals he has for increasing the number of such officers by 1980.
§ Mr. JohnThe number of posts for probation officers seconded to prison service establishments on 31st May 1976 was: prisons and remand centres, 375; borstals, 8; detention centres, 34. Of these posts, 42 were vacant on that date as follows: prisons and remand centres, 37; borstals, 1; detention centres, 4.
Men and women officers are equally eligible for secondment and information is not readily available as to the numbers of each actually in post at any time. On present estimates the number of seconded officers will be increased to 470 by 1980.