§ Mr. David Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of vacancies at the most recent convenient date in England and Wales for the police service and the prison warder service and ancillary prison staffs, respectively.
§ Mr. CarlisleOn 31st January, 1972, there were 12,658 vacancies for police officers.
As regards prison officers I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the Question by the hon. Member for Wands-worth, Central (Mr. Thomas Cox) on 23rd February. Among other grades of staff working in prisons and borstals, the net deficiency is about 200.—[Vol. 831, c. 328–9.]