Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prison officers are aged over 63 as of 29 November 2023.

The quarterly HMPPS workforce statistics publication covers staffing information, including number of staff in post by length of service and grade. The latest publication covers data for up to the period 30 September 2023. Information after this date has not yet been published and so data relating to any period after this date cannot be given.

Data for the number of band 3-5 prison officers who were 63 or over as at 30 September 2023 is given as follows: there were 501 (headcount) band 3-5 prison officers in service within HM Prisons and Probation Service who were aged 63 or over as at 30 September 2023. Band 3-5 Officers includes Band 3-4 / Prison Officers (including specialists), Band 4 / Supervising Officers, and Band 5 / Custodial Managers.