We closely monitor staffing levels across the estate via a number of internal governance forums, which assess the vacancy levels for individual prisons and across regions and functions, including the Long Term High Security Estate (LTHSE). Vacancies are one of a number of contributory factors that determine HMPPS' assessment of risk and stability within prisons. We will always ensure that prisons are sufficiently staffed to deliver safe and secure regimes. Where establishments feel that their staffing levels will affect stability or regime, including because of vacancies, there are a number of ways they can maximise the use of their own resource and seek support from other establishments in the short term, through processes managed nationally at Agency level. These include overtime payments and support via Detached Duty staff from other prisons.<\/p>
<\/p>
We are continuing recruitment activity at all sites with a current or future need, including in the LTHSE. Nationally, we have seen a substantial improvement in the national staffing picture within prisons over the past year. The number of Band 3-5 prison officers increased by 1,634 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) between December 2022 and December 2023, and resignation rates have fallen over the same period. This is the result of significant efforts across the agency, including substantial increases in pay for staff, our first-ever nationwide advertising campaign, incentivized recruitment schemes where we incentivised applicants to relocate to \u2018harder-to-staff\u2019 sites, and the Prison Officer Alumni Network, where we have fast-tracked former staff back into the service.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-05-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-05-07T11:24:44.85Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2024-05-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Prison Officers: Vacancies"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department have made a risk assessment of prison officer vacancies in the Long Term High Security Estate.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4389", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ruth Cadbury"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Brentford and Isleworth"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ruth Cadbury"} ], "uin" : "24485"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1713469", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1713469/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Following a period of staffing challenges after the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen a substantial improvement in the national staffing picture within prisons. The number of Band 3-5 prison officers has increased by 1,634 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) between December 2022 - 2023, and resignation rates have fallen over the same period. This is the result of significant efforts across the agency, including substantial increases in pay for staff and launching our first-ever nationwide advertising campaign.
Table One below shows the number of indicative vacancies for Band 3 Prison Officers in the Long Term & High Security Estate (for prisons in the South) for January 2018, January 2019, January 2020, January 2021, January 2022 and January 2023. Data is not held for the period January 2017 and has not been provided.<\/p>
<\/p>
In reality, many establishments will routinely sit marginally below their Target Staffing level due to normal attrition and time to hire and so we would not expect establishments to run consistently at 100% staffing.<\/p>
<\/p>
Where prisons are not at their Target Staffing level, these are routinely supplemented (e.g., by using Payment Plus, a form of overtime) which is not accounted for in the indicative vacancy data provided. Use of detached duty, a long-standing mechanism to deploy staff from one prison or region to support another, is also not reflected in the data.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p> Month<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Indicative vacancies (FTE)<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> Jan-18<\/p><\/td> 104<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Jan-19<\/p><\/td> 14<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Jan-20<\/p><\/td> 62<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Jan-21<\/p><\/td> 86<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Jan-22<\/p><\/td> 127<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Jan-23<\/p><\/td> 323<\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> Notes <\/strong><\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2024-04-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2024-04-30T15:10:38.303Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "54"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Justice"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2024-04-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Prison Officers: Vacancies"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many vacancies there were for band 3 prison officers in the Long Term High Security Estate - South at the start of each year from 2017 to 2023.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4389", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Ruth Cadbury"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Brentford and Isleworth"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Ruth Cadbury"}
], "uin" : "23505"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1701330", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Justice"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1701330/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We are doing more than ever to attract and retain the best staff, including boosting salaries and launching our first-ever nationwide advertising campaign. These efforts are working - we have over 4,800 FTE additional officers between March 2017 and December 2023 and retention rates for prison staff are improving.<\/p> Our latest published HMPPS workforce statistics present data up to 31 December 2023. While you have asked for data as at 16 April 2024, we are unable to provide data for periods following December 2023 as this could pre-empt the next set of published Staff in Post data, which will be released on Thursday 16 May 2024. Once updated staffing data have been published in May, including data up to 31 March 2024, we will then be able to consider questions related to vacancy data up to and including March 2024.<\/p> In December 2023, across the whole of the Public Sector Prison estate in England and Wales (including the Youth Custody Service) for Band 3-5 Prison Officers, Staff in Post was 63 FTE below the Target Staffing level. This figure is a combination of indicative vacancies at prisons with Staff in Post below their Target Staffing level and the indicative number of surplus staff at other prisons where Staff in Post is above their Target Staffing level. Where possible, prisons with surplus staff are likely to be sending those staff to work on Detached Duty at prisons with vacancies. At times, we have intentionally over-recruited in certain prisons or regions to give the system wider resilience and where prisons are not at their Target Staffing level. Use of Detached Duty, a long-standing mechanism to deploy staff from one prison or region to support another, is also not reflected in the indicative vacancies number.<\/p> In December 2023, there were just under 790 FTE Band 3-5 Prison Officer indicative vacancies across individual Public Sector Prison establishments in England and Wales, where Staff in Post was below their Target Staffing level, and just over 720 FTE indicative number of surplus staff across individual Public Sector Prison establishments, in establishments where Staff in Post was above their Target Staffing level.<\/p> Table One (below) shows the total Band 3, Band 4 and Band 5 Prison Officer indicative vacancies (FTE) across Public Sector Prisons England & Wales, by region, as of December 2023. Table Two attached shows total Band 3, Band 4 and Band 5 Prison Officer indicative vacancies (FTE) across Public Sector Prisons England & Wales, by region, December 2023.<\/p> <\/p> Table One: Total Band 3, Band 4 and Band 5 Prison Officer indicative vacancies (FTE) across Public Sector Prisons England & Wales, by region (summed from the establishment level in Annex A), December 2023<\/strong><\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td><\/tr> Region<\/p><\/td> Band 3 Indicative Vacancies<\/p><\/td> Band 4 Indicative Vacancies<\/p><\/td> Band 5 Indicative Vacancies<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Avon, South Dorset and Wiltshire Prisons<\/p><\/td> 30<\/p><\/td> 6<\/p><\/td> 5<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td><\/tr> Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk Prisons<\/p><\/td> 10<\/p><\/td> 13<\/p><\/td> 6<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td><\/tr> Cumbria & Lancashire Prisons<\/p><\/td> 0<\/p><\/td> 6<\/p><\/td> 5<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td><\/tr> Devon and North Dorset Prisons<\/p><\/td> 12<\/p><\/td> 3<\/p><\/td> 0<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td><\/tr> East Midlands Prisons<\/p><\/td> 22<\/p><\/td> 7<\/p><\/td> 14<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td><\/tr> Greater Manchester, Merseyside & Cheshire Prisons<\/p><\/td> 0<\/p><\/td> 8<\/p><\/td> 4<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td><\/tr> Hertfordshire, Essex and Suffolk Prisons<\/p><\/td> 11<\/p><\/td> 8<\/p><\/td> 0<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td><\/tr> Kent, Surrey and Sussex Prisons<\/p><\/td> 59<\/p><\/td> 10<\/p><\/td> 9<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td><\/tr> London Prisons<\/p><\/td> 13<\/p><\/td> 36<\/p><\/td> 22<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td><\/tr> Long Term High Security Estate - North<\/p><\/td> 12<\/p><\/td> 23<\/p><\/td> 7<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td><\/tr> Long Term High Security Estate - South<\/p><\/td> 259<\/p><\/td> 49<\/p><\/td> 33<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td><\/tr> North East Prisons<\/p><\/td> 0<\/p><\/td> 12<\/p><\/td> 10<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td><\/tr> North Midlands Prisons<\/p><\/td> 0<\/p><\/td> 8<\/p><\/td> 7<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td><\/tr> South Central Prisons<\/p><\/td> 48<\/p><\/td> 25<\/p><\/td> 7<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td><\/tr> West Midlands Prisons<\/p><\/td> 0<\/p><\/td> 10<\/p><\/td> 15<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td><\/tr> Women's Prison Group<\/p><\/td> 25<\/p><\/td> 3<\/p><\/td> 9<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td><\/tr> Yorkshire Prisons<\/p><\/td> 4<\/p><\/td> 4<\/p><\/td> 10<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td><\/tr> Youth Custody Services*<\/p><\/td> -<\/p><\/td> -<\/p><\/td> 31<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td><\/tr> Wales<\/p><\/td> 36<\/p><\/td> 4<\/p><\/td> 1<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td><\/tr> <\/p><\/td> 541<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 237<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 196<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table> <\/p> * In addition, there were 76 FTE vacancies across the Band 3 and 4 grades combined for the Youth Custody Services. In the Youth Custody Services there are a considerable number of staff employed at Band 3 grade working against the Band 4 target as they work towards becoming Band 4 Youth Justice Workers. As a result, we have merged the Band 3 and 4 grades for these five institutions.<\/p> Notes on data in this response<\/strong><\/p> We are doing more than ever to attract and retain the best staff, including boosting salaries and launching our first-ever nationwide advertising campaign. These efforts are working - we have over 4,800 FTE additional officers between March 2017 and December 2023 and retention rates for prison staff are improving.<\/p> In December 2023, across the whole of the Public Sector Prison estate in England for Band 3-5 Prison Officers, Staff in Post was 40 FTE below the Target Staffing level. <\/ins><\/p> This figure is a combination of indicative vacancies at prisons with Staff in Post below their Target Staffing level and the indicative number of surplus staff at other prisons where Staff in Post is above their Target Staffing level. Prisons with surplus staff are likely to be sending those staff to work on Detached Duty at prisons with vacancies, and therefore netting vacancies against surpluses is a reasonable reflection of the overall national position.<\/p> At times, we have intentionally over-recruited in certain prisons or regions to give the system wider resilience and where prisons are not at their Target Staffing level. Use of Detached Duty, a long-standing mechanism to deploy staff from one prison or region to support another, is also not reflected in the indicative vacancies number.<\/p> <\/p> Notes<\/strong><\/p> Workforce figures have only been published up to September 2023. Data up to December 2023 is set to be published on the 15 February 2024 and until these workforce figures are released, we are unable to respond to this question as any data provided could pre-empt the February publication.<\/p> Notes:<\/p>
Table One: Total Band 3 Prison Officer Indicative Vacancies across Long Term & High Security Estate (LTHSE) South, January 2018 to January 2023<\/strong><\/p>