Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Prison and Probation Officers: Recruitment and Retention

Tuesday 14 December 2021 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Mary Glindon inquired about the assessment of recruitment and retention of prison and probation officers, noting an increase of over 4,000 in band 3 to 5 prison officer numbers since October 2016.
  • The government acknowledged high attrition rates among prison officers and implemented retention toolkits to support employee retention.
  • Philip Hollobone welcomed the Government's plans to recruit 5,000 new prison officers, highlighting that reducing assaults on prison officers would ease recruitment and retention challenges.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Mary Glindon Lab Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend
Justice & Courts
Context

The MP inquired about the adequacy of recruitment and retention efforts for prison and probation officers, citing concerns over high attrition rates.

Question

What assessment has been made of the adequacy of the recruitment and retention of prison and probation officers? I am concerned that band 3 to 5 prison officer numbers have increased by more than 4,000 from 17,955 to 22,325 full-time equivalents since October 2016, but attrition rates remain high. In the year to March 2021, we recruited over 1,000 trainee probation officers and will recruit a further 1,500 by the end of next March.

Answer from Kit Malthouse

Since October 2016, band 3 to 5 prison officer numbers have increased by more than 4,000 from 17,955 to 22,325 full-time equivalents. In the year to March 2021, we recruited over 1,000 trainee probation officers and will recruit a further 1,500 by the end of next March.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The adequacy assessment was not provided; only recruitment figures were given without addressing retention issues directly.

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q2 Mary Glindon Lab Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend
Justice & Courts Employment
Context

The MP referenced the prisons White Paper acknowledging high attrition rates among prison officers due to low wages, requesting a proper pay rise for staff.

Question

The prisons White Paper concedes that attrition rates among prison officers are too high, causing an unsustainable level of turnover in the system and contributing to a vicious cycle of staff dissatisfaction and lack of retention. With even the Prison Service's new retention framework conceding that low wages are key driver of attrition, when will the Minister stand up for both prison officers and probation officers and give them the proper pay rise the Government's own experts recommend?

Answer from Kit Malthouse

We recognise that attrition among prison officers is an issue, which is why we have put in place retention toolkits in prisons providing governors with support and tools for employee retention. The economic ravages of the pandemic meant a pause in pay was necessary, but now that the Department has received a three-year spending settlement, coherent conversations about future pay can commence.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to a specific timeline or action regarding low wages for prison officers and probation officers.

How: Under Review, Coherent Conversations

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Q3 Philip Hollobone Con
Justice & Courts
Context

The MP welcomed the Government's plans to recruit new prison officers but raised concerns about the high number of assaults on staff, asking for measures to prosecute and extend sentences for offenders.

Question

I welcome the Government's plans to recruit 5,000 new prison officers, but recruitment of prison officers and their retention would be made easier if the number of assaults in prison were to come down. In the 12 months to June, there were 7,612 assaults on prison officers, one third of which were categorised as serious. What is being done to prosecute and extend the sentences of each and every convict who assaults a prison officer?

Answer from Kit Malthouse

We take seriously any issue of assaults against our staff, which is why governors work closely with local police forces to pursue and prosecute crimes committed against prison staff. Sentences are handed out where appropriate, but much violence in prisons is driven by drugs, so the government works on reducing drug consumption within the secure estate.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide a specific plan for prosecuting assaults or extending sentences for each convict involved.

How: Work Closely With Local Police Forces, Reducing Drug Consumption

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)