§ Mr. Tom ClarkeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what procedures for monitoring the background of prison officers exist to ensure the recruitment of a suitable proportion of staff from ethnic communities in Scotland.
§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton[holding answer 25 July 1988]: Application to join the Scottish prison service is open to anyone who can satisfy the basic entrance standards in height, eyesight and age. Ethnic origin is not a factor which is taken into account.
182WHowever, the new initial recruit training course includes a module whose specification aims to make
students fully aware of their role and responsibilities with regard to the custody and care of inmates from different ethnic backgrounds".The same module will be used by staff training officers attached to individual establishments for the training of serving staff, a process which has already started.