HC Deb 28 June 1974 vol 875 cc37-8W
Mr. Cordle

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present recognised establishment of prison officers for all prisons in England and Wales.

Dr. Summerskill

The total staffing provision for the present financial year includes about 13,800 prison officers for the prison service in England and Wales.

Mr. Cordle

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are presently employed as prison officers in England and Wales.

Dr. Summerskill

13,079 on 1st May 1974, including 202 on temporary duty in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Cordle

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were recruited into the prison service in England and Wales in each of the past 12 calendar months.

Dr. Summerskill

Recruitment to the prison service cannot be entirely distinguished from recruitment to the Home Office as a whole. But for those grades of staff that are recruited by the Home Office exclusively for employment in the prison service, the latest available figures are as follows:

May 1973 90
June 113
July 106
August 123
September 37
October 165
November 91
December 113
January 1974 87
February 52
March 192
April 95