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<p>Prison officers do a challenging and vital job to help protect the public and we
are committed to making sure we have enough staff to deliver safe regimes in our prisons.</p><p>
</p><p>Detached duty is vital to ensure we manage estates, as one of the sensible
and proportionate measures we take to cover resourcing pressures and ensure we run
safe and decent regimes in prisons as well as being able to respond appropriately
to any operational issues that arise.</p><p> </p><p>In 2016 the former Secretary of
State announced HMPPS would be recruiting an additional 2,500 prison officers by December
2018. Good progress is being made to hit this target, with 1,970 additional officers
recruited by 31<sup>st</sup> December 2017. These new staff will reduce the need for
Detached Duty.</p><p> </p><p>When there is a need to accommodate staff in hotels,
we work hard to ensure the best possible value for money for the taxpayer and have
controls in place to help keep costs to a minimum.</p><p> </p><p>Where possible, bookings
are for specifically timed trains in standard class to help keep costs to a minimum.</p><p>
</p><p>Data prior to 2013 for expenses incurred through Detached Duty does not exist.
Please see attached data from 2013 onwards.</p>
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