Prison Officer Recruitment Targets

Justice – in the House of Commons am ar 10 Medi 2024.

Danfonwch hysbysiad imi am ddadleuon fel hyn

Photo of Josh MacAlister Josh MacAlister Llafur, Whitehaven and Workington

What steps she plans to take to meet prison officer recruitment targets.

Photo of Nicholas Dakin Nicholas Dakin Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice

My hon. Friend is completely right: prison officer recruitment targets are essential. Prison officers do a fantastic job. We have seen how they have gone above and beyond over recent weeks and months, so I pay tribute to them. Nationally, we are currently above staffing targets, but challenges remain in certain sites with a high number of vacancies, and bespoke interventions are being developed for those sites.

Photo of Josh MacAlister Josh MacAlister Llafur, Whitehaven and Workington

I thank the Minister for that answer, and I praise the Government team for the way they have responded to the complete chaos left in the wake of 14 years of a Conservative Government.

In my previous work I visited young offenders institutions, which have been left in total chaos by the last Government. Part of their recklessness was to start a botched recruitment process for the graduate recruitment training programme for prison officers. It is currently delivered by Unlocked Graduates, which is doing fantastic work. The Government’s chief inspector of prisons has said there is a real risk that that programme ending will add to the recruitment problems that the Government face. Will they restart that procurement process and meet me to discuss its future?

Photo of Nicholas Dakin Nicholas Dakin Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice

I am happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss that matter. His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service worked to reprocure the next iteration of the graduate scheme, with contracts for an open procurement exercise. Although Unlocked Graduates was identified as the winning bidder and was offered the contract, it did not confirm its intent to sign the contract. The Department is now working hard to come up with plans to put a graduate scheme in place for future years.