Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment he has made of (a) staff morale, (b) sickness rates, (c) turnover and (d) training in prisons; and if he will make a statement.

Management of the NOMS Agency reports to Ministers on these issues on a regular basis.

(a) Staff Morale: Staff attitudes are measured in the annual Civil Service staff engagement survey, the most recent of which was run in October 2013. Action plans to improve engagement and morale are produced by every prison and headquarters group. The Highlight Report from the survey conducted in NOMS can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-people-survey-results-2013. Information on staff engagement in contracted out prisons is not available.

(b) Staff Sickness Rates: Reducing levels of sickness in sustainable way is a high priority for NOMS and the agency is working through an improvement plan. Actions include improvements to policy, targeted management interventions and support for staff.

Sicknessrates in adult prisons have fallen over the last ten years and remain below the rate of 14.8 days lost, across public sector adult prisons, in 2002/03.

Figures on staff sickness absence in contracted out prisons can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/225231/prs-data-12-13.xls.

(c) Staff Turnover: Leaver numbers, other than through voluntary early departure schemes (VEDS), expressed as a proportion of average staff in post, have remained consistent and sustainable over the past five years.

Information on staff turnover in contracted out prisons is not available.

(d) Staff Training: The Ministry provides training and education for all civil servants in line with the commitment set out in the Civil Service Reform Plan “to provide at least five days a year targeted at the skills most needed for their roles”. In light of the anticipated demand for detached duty staff over the summer months, some non-critical operational training has recently been curtailed to ensure that staff are used where they are most needed. This position is being reviewed on a regular basis.