§ Sir T. Beamishasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give an assurance that, in arriving at a new salary structure for the Probation Service, account will not only be taken of more generous salaries at present paid for comparable forms of social work, but of the savings already made and the potential for greater savings through the work of probation officers in preventing crime and reducing the costs of the Prison Service.
§ Mr. MaudlingThe recommended scale of pay for local authority social workers is higher at some points in the scale than that which would be paid to probation officers under the offer already made, but not at others. But I shall take the considerations referred to in the Question into account in determining the Government's attitude to the negotiations.
§ 16. Sir T. Beamishasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the detrimental effect on recruitment and continuing service in the probation service of the delay in reaching a satisfactory agreement on a new salary structure; if he will now announce the new rates; and from what date they will take effect.
§ Mr. MaudlingThere was a net increase of 104 established probation officers in the first six months of 1971, bringing the number up to 3,456. I cannot yet announce a conclusion of the current pay negotiations, but there is a full meeting of the Joint Negotiating Committee today.