HC Deb 13 July 1964 vol 698 cc174-5W
Sir G. Wills

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made towards implementing the recommendations of the Morison Committee on the Probation Service that the strength of the service should be raised to 2,000 as soon as possible and that thereafter a target strength of 2,750 should be aimed at.

Mr. Brooke

At the time when the Morison Committee reported in December 1961, the strength of the Probation Service—in England and Wales—was 1,762. The first target of 2,000 was reached before the end of 1963. The present strength is over 2,100. My Probation Advisory and Training Board has recommended that the target of 2,750 should be reached in 1966, and training facilities are being expanded as quickly as possible so as to achieve this.