HC Deb 30 June 1976 vol 914 c183W
Mr. John Evans

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the estimated national average weekly loss (gross) to prison officers in overtime payments arising from his Department's instruction to prison governors to cut back on overtime;

(2) what is the estimated annual saving which will accrue from his Department's instruction to prison governors to cut back on overtime;

(3) what is the target figure of hours overtime to be saved by his Department's instruction to prison governors to cut back on overtime;

(4) what percentage saving in manpower in the Prison Office Service the cutback in overtime working order by his Department represents.

Mr. John

As a contribution to current reductions in public expenditure, the Prison Service has been required to reduce overtime costs in the current financial year by approximately £2 million. This is broadly the equivalent of an average reduction over the year of between one and two hours' overtime an officer a week. The approximate financial equivalent of this reduction per officer would be between £2.25 and £4.50 per week. But the detailed application of the arrangements will necessarily vary from establishment to establishment according to local commitments and responsibilities, as will the effect for individual officers. In terms of Prison Service manpower, the reduction represents a saving of between 2 per cent. and 3 per cent.