§ Mr. Thomas Coxasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why it was necessary for prison officers at Wandsworth Prison to work 216,808 hours overtime during the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CarlisleWandsworth Prison, in common with the prison service as a whole, is short of prison officer staff and the overtime to which the hon. Member refers was a necessary consequence. Steps are being taken to contain overtime at a lower level but significant improvement in the position depends upon increasing the strength of the prison service generally.