§ 55. Sir C. Osborneasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what answer he has sent to the Prison Officers' Association's representation to him that capital punishment should be retained for the murder of a prison officer whilst on duty; what action he proposes to take to ensure that the prison staffs and police forces remain fully manned, in view of the resignations and declining recruitment resulting from his policy; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Roy JenkinsI have received no representations about capital punishment directly from the Association, although their views are known to me.
I do not accept the assertions in the second part of the Question. Recruitment less wastage for prison officers amounted to 238 in the first nine months of this year compared with 219 in the first nine months of 1964. For the police the similar comparison is 1,313 against 382.