§ Dr. CableTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the Job Simulation Assessment Centre system of recruitment for the Prison Service. [66435]
§ Mr. George HowarthIn its recent annual report, the Board of Visitors of Feltham Young Offenders Institution asked the Home Secretary to look closely at the arrangements for the recruitment of prison officers, which they feel exacerbate local staffing problems.
Job simulation assessment centres form part of the new approach to the recruitment of prison officers. They have been developed to provide fairer, more objective and more reliable assessments of candidates than the recruitment process which they replaced.
The Prison Service is aware, however, of the difficulties being experienced at Feltham and elsewhere in recruiting suitable prison officers and other grades of staff. It is therefore carrying out a short review in order to identify ways in which the situation can be improved.