§ Mr. Nelsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for increasing the staff of the probation service; and what will be the cost of this in salaries and related expenditure.
§ Dr. Summerskill:Provision has been made for a growth of 189 field probation officers in 1979–80, at a cost with related expenditure of £1.2 million in that year—£2.4 million in a full year. With regard to later years and to plans for probation officers in prison service establishments, I ask the hon. Member to await the forthcoming publication of the Government's expenditure plans for the period to 1982–83.
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§ Mr. Nelsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for capital expenditure for the prison and probation Services, respectively; and how many beds or day places, as the case may be, will be provided.
§ Dr. Summerskill:The Government's expenditure plans for 1978–79 to 1981–82 were published in Cmnd. 7049. Provision was made to complete prison building schemes in progress to give a net addition of 4,700 places in England and Wales by 1981–82 and to Start one new prison in that year. Planned capital expenditure to 1981–82 also provided for an increase in adult probation hostels to about 1,080 places, and in adult bail hostels to nearly 400 places.