Asked by: Stephen Metcalfe (Conservative - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
What progress the Government has made on improving training and support for prison officers.
Answered by Robert Buckland
A delivery review of the Prison Officer Entry Level training (POELT) course has culminated in the development of a Level 3 Custody and Detention Officer Apprenticeship. New learning methodologies will have greater focus on practice of the knowledge, skills and behaviours relevant to the Prison Officer role whilst also recognising the need for continuous training outside of the classroom. Two checkpoints will be included during this time where Apprentices will return to an L&D centre for further learning. |
This will give new prison officers the confidence to carry out their role safely. The Apprenticeship will be launched in early adopter sites from October 2019. All training is reviewed regularly to ensure it reflects current organisational policies and practices. New courses are developed based on requests from Stakeholders within the organisation.
Asked by: Stephen Metcalfe (Conservative - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for how long the post of Chief Scientific Adviser to her Department has been vacant; and what plans she has to advertise for and fill that vacancy.
Answered by Phillip Lee
The Ministry of Justice does not have a vacancy for the post of Chief Scientific Adviser. Osama Rahman, Director of Analysis and Chief Economist, is the Chief Scientific Adviser for the Ministry of Justice.
Asked by: Stephen Metcalfe (Conservative - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to increase the use of digital technology in the courts and tribunals system.
Answered by Shailesh Vara
We have secured over £700m of funding to invest in our courts and tribunals system so they deliver swifter, fairer justice. Together with the Crown Prosecution Service, we are already developing shared digital technology for criminal justice so that all can work from the same digital case files. We have introduced online pleas and fines for traffic offences. Courts are now trialling extended opening hours, new ways of scheduling cases to avoid frustration and delays, and extending the use of video links.