§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the average number of hours of overtime worked by prison staff for which time off in lieu is outstanding for each financial year since 1991–92 for each prison establishment; [28346]
(2) how many hours of overtime were worked by prison staff for which time off in lieu is outstanding for each prison establishment. [28319]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from A. J. Butler to Mr. George Howarth, dated 13 May 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Questions about overtime worked by prison staff and time off in lieu.
Prison officers have not worked overtime since the current (Fresh Start) working arrangements were introduced in 1987, when the average amount of overtime worked was 16 hours per week.
The Fresh Start agreement allowed for fluctuations in staffing levels to be met by the movement of officers' shifts or the anticipation of hours to be repaid by time off in lieu. The balance of additional hours/time off in lieu fluctuates throughout the year and from prison to prison.
The figures you request are not currently collected centrally and could be produced only at disproportionate cost. We are, however, able to provide you with information, for the period between April 1993 and July 1995, which was collected for a particular exercise and is given in the attached tables.
I have arranged for a copy of these tables to be placed in the Library.
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