§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff and dogs are currently employed and used in the prison service dog section; and what plans the Home Office has for the dogs in the event of a decision to contract out the section.
§ Mr. Peter LloydResponsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
723WLetter from Mr. D. Lewis to Ms Joan Ruddock, dated 15 April 1993:
The Home Secretary has asked me to write to you in reply to your Parliamentary Question about the staff and dogs used in the Prison Dog Service and our plans for the dogs in the event of a decision to contract out the dog service.A total of 434 staff are employed as dog handlers and 441 dogs are used for this work.If the work of the dog service were to be contracted out all dog handlers would be asked whether they wished to keep their dogs. Any dog not taken on by their handlers would be offered to the Armed Forces, Customs and Excise or the Police in an effort to find them suitable work placements. If sufficient work placements could not be found then consideration would have to be given to having the dogs destroyed. While every effort would be made to avoid this position these are working dogs trained to bite and the options for suitable placements are limited.