Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the comparative retention rates of (a) prison officers recruited through the Unlocked Graduates programme and (b) those recruited through standard routes; and what steps he is taking to ensure similar retention rates for future cohorts.

The Ministry of Justice's workforce planning process ensures that we use all appropriate recruitment routes to ensure that we have in place the level of Prison Officers we need to support delivery.

The information regarding retention rates is scheduled for future publication, with the release date to be confirmed.

The effect of prison officers recruited through the Unlocked Graduates programme on rehabilitation outcomes and reoffending rates is not held centrally.