Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Elizabeth Truss and Tom Blenkinsop

Tuesday 7th March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Tom Blenkinsop (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) (Lab)]

16. What steps she is taking to increase recruitment and retention of prison officers.

[The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Elizabeth Truss)]

In November, we announced a £100 million investment to increase prison officer numbers by 2,500. We are on target with that recruitment, and I can tell the hon. Lady today that 700 officers are currently in training—a record number.

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[Elizabeth Truss]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We are creating an additional 2,000 positions, which will be paid around £30,000. They will be available in his local area and in Durham, because it is vital not only that we ensure that we have enough staff—we are recruiting 2,500 prison officers—but that we retain our highly valued existing staff right across the country.

[Tom Blenkinsop]

I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. Research by the Community union found that the main barrier to retention was not pay but safety. Prison officers in both private and public prisons feel unprepared, isolated and undermined. Will the Government conduct a complete review of the training, support and development given to prison officers and act on Community’s call for a set of adequate minimum safety standards?

[Elizabeth Truss]

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely correct that prison officers have raised concerns about safety. We are employing more prison officers, so that one officer will have a case load of six offenders, which will help to keep prisons safe and, importantly, turn people’s lives around. We are reviewing training and the career structure for prison officers, ensuring that there are opportunities for promotion and to take on leadership roles.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Elizabeth Truss and Tom Blenkinsop

Monday 9th September 2013 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

We are rightly ensuring that all students who do not achieve a C in English and maths at GCSE continue to study them at FE colleges and beyond, so that they get the results that they need for their future careers.

[Tom Blenkinsop (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) (Lab)]

7. What his policy is on academies; and if he will make a statement.

Child-care Ratios

Debate between Elizabeth Truss and Tom Blenkinsop

Thursday 9th May 2013 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

Of course, there will be different requirements for different children, depending on their age and their level of development. Our policies are about increasing the level of professional judgment that child care workers are able to exercise to cater for the different ages and the different stages of development of the children they are looking after. I would point out to my hon. Friend that many parents in other countries where more flexibility is given to local providers are extremely happy with the quality of care they receive—in fact, they are happier than parents here.

[Tom Blenkinsop (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) (Lab)]

Obviously, whoever was babysitting the Deputy Prime Minister this morning did not do a very good job, as on LBC this morning, he apparently insisted that the Government’s child care policy will be reversed. Is the Minister sure that this policy will be implemented?

[Elizabeth Truss]

As I said, we have outlined our policy in “More great childcare”, and we are currently consulting on the level of qualifications required to put those ratios in place.