§ Mr. K. Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what facilities are provided for prison medical officers to obtain additional qualifications such as the Diploma in Psychological Medicine or the Diploma in Criminology; and what the response has been.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerPrison medical officers who wish to obtain additional qualifications, such as the Diploma in Psychological Medicine, can be assisted by the payment of the fee for an appropriate correspondence course and by being allowed a limited amount of time off for study. Four prison medical officers in recent years have taken advantage of such a course and two medical officers are currently having time off for study.
It is understood that the first course by the Institute of Criminology of the University of Cambridge leading to a Diploma in Criminology is not due to 126W begin until October 1961 and is a full-time course lasting for a complete academic year.
§ Mr. K. Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present number of full-time medical officers in the Prison Medical Service; what has been the total wastage since 1945 due to normal retirement, death, or ill-health; how many have resigned for other reasons; how many have joined the Service in the same period; and how many he estimates are required to implement the policies for penal reform already announced by him.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerThe number of full-time medical officers in the Prison Medical Service is 56. Since 1st January, 1945, 13 officers have been lost to the Service through normal retirement, death and ill-health; 26 have resigned for other reasons, and 67 have joined. No estimate can be given at this stage of the total number of full-time medical officers who will ultimately be needed to implement the current programme of penal reform.