HC Deb 11 May 1949 vol 464 cc102-5W
Mr. W. J. Brown

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of men and women, respectively, employed in the Prison and Borstal Services on 1st April, 1939, and 1st April, 1949; and what was the number of prisoners men and women, respectively, who were in custody on these dates.

Mr. Ede

The numbers of officers in the basic grade on the 1st April, 1939, and 1st April, 1949, were 1,969 men and 146 women, and 3,037 men and 206 women, respectively. The latter figures include 500 men and 16 women auxiliary officers under training. There were in custody on those dates 10,623 men and 724 women, and 19,107 men and 1,096 women, respectively.

Mr. W. J. Brown

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of men and women who have been admitted to the Prison Service since 1st April, 1946, but whose physical standards or age at time of entry were lower than those required under the regulations in operation prior to 1939; and how many of this total are still in the Prison Service.

Mr. Ede

The number of men and women admitted to the Prison Service since 1st April, 1946, who were of the lower age or reduced physical standard or both was 449 and 60 respectively. Of these, 206 men and 26 women are still in the Service.

Mr. W. J. Brown

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications have been received from men and women, respectively, for employment in the Prison Service since 1st April, 1946; how many of these applicants subsequently passed the medical test and were given three months' trial service in local establishments; and how many of them were rejected for employment after initial interview.

Mr. Ede

Eleven thousand four hundred and seventy-nine applications (10,810 men and 669 women) were received during the period 1st April, 1946, to 30th April, 1949. During that period 4,083 applicants (3,812 men and 271 women) failed to satisfy the regulations or did not proceed with their applications. The number of the remainder who underwent preliminary training was 3,168 (2,969 men and 199 women) and the number rejected was 4,350 (4,151 men and 199 women). These figures include a number of applicants who applied before 1st April, 1946; it has not been found practicable to eliminate these.

Mr. W. J. Brown

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of men and women, respectively, who have been appointed on the basis of a three months' trial period to the Prison and Borstal Services since 1st April, 1946, and who have resigned before completion of the trial period; and what is the number who, at the end of the trial period, failed to qualify to attend Wakefield Training Class.

Mr. Ede

Of the 2,847 men and 199 women who have been admitted to the Service for training since 1st April, 1946, 539 men and 72 women resigned before completion of the trial period and 406 men and 19 women failed to qualify to attend Wakefield.

Mr. W. J. Brown

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of men and women, respectively, who entered the Prison Service after 1st April, 1946, and who, after completion of three months' trial service in local prisons, attended the Wakefield Training Class but failed at the course.

Mr. Ede

Of 1,625 men and 100 women who attended the Wakefield Training School from 5th October, 1946, which was the first class open to candidates entering the service after 1st April, 1946, 489 men and 19 women were rejected.

Mr. W. J. Brown

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of men and women respectively, appointed to the Prison Service since 1st April, 1946, who qualified at the Wakefield Training Class, but who subsequently resigned, or were required to resign, from the Prison Service.

Mr. Ede

Of the 1,164 men and 81 women who have qualified at the Wakefield Training School since 5th October, 1946, which was the first class open to candidates entering the Service after 1st April, 1946, 74 men and 13 women have left the Service on resignation and in eight other cases (all men) their services have been terminated.

Mr. W. J. Brown

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the estimated number of men and women prison officers, respectively, considered necessary adequately to staff the existing prison and Borstal establishments on the present one-shift system; and the estimated number of men and women prison officers, respectively, who would be required to staff the existing establishments in present circumstances if a two-shift system were introduced.

Mr. Ede

As regards men and women officers in the basic grades, the position is as follows: All Borstal institutions are on a two-shift system. For adequate staffing, it is estimated that in present conditions some 580 men and 50 women officers are required. For the adequate staffing of prisons on a single-shift system, in present conditions, it is estimated that some 2,290 men and 190 women officers are required. No precise estimate can be given of the numbers which would be required for a general two-shift system, but probably not less than 900 additional men and 80 women officers would be required.