HC Deb 21 June 1990 vol 174 cc664-5W
Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the expected financial savings in respect of the anticipated downgrading of training tutors from principal officer to senior officer level following the recommendations of the staff inspection report on new entrant prison officer training.

Mr. Mellor

The staff inspectors estimated that the savings from regrading tutor posts from principal officer to senior officer level would be around £73,000, although part of this would be used to finance other recommendations in the report which would involve increased expenditure.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when policy decisions are expected on the recommendations received by his Department in respect of new entrant prison officer training; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Mellor

Under the normal arrangements for handling staff inspection reports, comments on the report on new entrant prison officer training, which was issued in April, have been sought from all those with an interest. These have just been received and are now being considered. It is likely to be several weeks before any decisions are taken on the inspectors' recommendations.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any further discussions are planned with the Prison Officers Association in respect of probable future decisions in respect of new entrant prison officer training.

Mr. Mellor

At the meeting between members of the national executive committee of the Prison Officers Association and senior prison service officials on 16 May, the Prison Officers Association representatives gave a full account of their position. No further meetings on the subject are currently planned, although there will be the opportunity for further discussion at the next regular meeting of the relevant national Whitley sub-committee.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions have taken place with the Prison Officers Association on a local and national basis in relation to new entrant prison officer training.

Mr. Mellor

There are regular opportunities, both nationally and locally, for discussions between management and the Prison Officers Association about new entrant prison officer training generally. In the case of the recent staff inspection of new entrant prison officer training the inspectors gave local representatives of the Prison Officers Association the opportunity to comment on their emerging findings before completing their report. The full report was issued in April and the views of all those with an interest, including the Prison Officers Association, were sought. Members of the national executive committee of the Prison Officers Association attended a meeting with senior prison service officials on 16 May at which the staff inspection report was discussed.

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what exercises have been conducted to evaluate the possible consequences of downgrading training tutors in new entrant prison officer training establishments from principal to senior officer rank.

Mr. Mellor

The staff inspection team, which was led by an experienced prison governor, considered carefully the qualities, experience and expertise required of the tutorial staff. It was their considered judgment that the quality of training given to new prison officers would not suffer if their recommendation to regrade tutor posts to senior officer level were implemented.