HC Deb 25 June 1991 vol 193 cc419-20W
Ms. Richardson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what are the latest available figures for the total numbers of people employed in the prison service broken down by(a) occupation and grade, (b) gender and (c) ethnic background;

(2) what has been the percentage increase of (a) women and (b) ethnic minorities employed in the prison service between 1978 and the latest available figures broken down by occupation and grade.

Mrs. Rumbold

[holding answer 18 June 1991]: The available information is as follows:

Grade Male Female Total
Grade 2 1 1
Grade 3 4 2 6
Grade 4 1 1
Assistant Director 6 6
Grade 5 8 5 13
Governor 1 39 39
Grade 6 17 1 18
Governor 2 63 6 69
Grade 7 85 16 101
Governor 3 96 6 102
Governor 4 289 29 318
Governor 5 370 54 424
Governor 5 (works) 52 52
Governor 5 (catering) 7 7
Governor 5 (PE) 8 8
Governor 5 (hospital) 12 12
Principal Officer 1,036 36 1,072
Principal Officer (works) 209 1 210
Principal Officer (catering) 47 2 49
Principal Officer (PE) 65 1 66
Principal Officer (hospital) 67 67
Principal Officer (dog handler) 2 2
Principal Officer (instructor) 7 1 8
Senior Officer 2,227 83 2,310
SO (works) 200 1 201
SO (catering) 92 2 94
SO (PE) 105 5 110
SO (hospital) 172 1 173
SO (dog handler) 20 20
SO (instructor) 42 1 53
Prison Officer 14,149 1,341 15,490
Prison Officer (works) 585 7 592
Prison Officer (catering) 360 15 375
Prison Officer (PE) 294 16 310
Prison Officer (Hospital) 626 71 697
Prison Officer (Dog handler) 332 1 333
Prison Officer (Instructor) 234 4 238
Temporary Officer 25 25
Senior Executive Officer 65 13 78
Higher Executive Officer (D) 1 1
Higher Executive Officer 191 118 309
Executive Officer 277 340 617
Administrative Officer 560 1,451 2,011
Administrative Assistant 167 585 752
Principal Medical Officer 9 3 12
Senior Medical Officer 30 4 34
Medical Officer 71 10 81
P/T Medical Officer 111 7 118
Senior Professional and Technical Officer 115 1 116
Grade Male Female Total
Higher Professional and Technical Officer 122 2 124
Professional and Technical Officer 58 3 61
Senior Psychologist 19 23 42
Higher Psychologist 2 5 7
Psychologist 12 15 27
Psychological Assistant 17 19 36
Psychological Graduate Trainee 1 1
Chaplain General 1 1
Deputy Chaplain General 1 1
Assistant Chaplain General 5 5
Principal Roman Catholic Chaplain 1
Senior Roman Catholic Chaplain 2 2
Church of England Chaplain 95 1 96
P/T Church of England Chaplain 23 3 26
Roman Catholic Chaplain 12 12
P/T Roman/Catholic Chaplain 84 5 89
Chief Education Officer 1 1
Senior Principal Nursing Sister 1 1
Principal Nursing Sister 4 4
Senior Nursing Sister 1 22 23
Nursing Sister 3 78 81
Nursing Officer 5 5
Senior Enrolled Nurse 6 6
Enrolled Nurse 5 48 53
Sister (Midwife) 2 2
Nurse (Occupational Health) 1 1
Nursing Auxiliary 10 10
Head Pharmacist 1 1
Principal Pharmacist 4 4 8
Senior Pharmacist 1 1
Pharmacist 1 1
Staff Principal Pharmacist 13 13
Pharmacist Technician 2 13 15
Senior Farms and Gardens Officer 2 2
Farms and Gardens Officer 4 4
Farm Manager 51 51
Landscape Gardening Officer 2 2
Higher Instructional Officer 30 1 31
Instructional Officer 970 134 1,104
Senior Personal Secretary 7 7
Personal Secretary 1 150 151
Typing Manager 11 11
Typist 440 440
Auxiliary Officer 1,052 267 1,319
Night Patrol 954 82 1,036
Stores Officer grades 19 3 22
Storesperson 448 19 467
Assistant Storesperson 136 12 148
Support grades 28 206 234
Librarian 1 1
Tracer 1 1
Industrial staff 2,744 185 2,929
Total 30,452 6,056 36,508

Note: Figures including staff in the Directorate of Works and the Supply and Transport Branch, both of which perform some functions for other parts of the Home Office.

A total of 16.6 per cent. of prison service staff are women. The proportion of female prison officers is 8.8 per cent., compared with 3.5 per cent. in 1978.

Comparably detailed figures are not available in relation to ethnic background, because of an incomplete response by staff to voluntary monitoring, but it is estimated that fewer than 1 per cent. of the prison service unified grades are from the ethnic minorities. Efforts are being made to improve the response rate and to increase the number of members of the ethnic minorities recruited to the service.

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