Question
The list of public sector jobs eligible to apply for the five-year settlement route does not appear to include prison officers. What assessment has the Home Secretary made of the effect that these changes will have on the crisis-hit Prison Service?
Answer
The list does not include prison officers, because the transitional arrangements apply to those cohorts of workers that the Migration Advisory Committee recognises on national pay scales in health and education for the purposes of the immigration rules. The right hon. Lady will know that it is a very small number of prison officers who will settle at 10 years, but let me confirm to her and the House that I have been discussing these measures with the Secretary of State for Justice and I will do everything I can to make sure that the Prison Service has the labour it needs in the future.20% vibes
Verdict: AMBER (70/100)
The reply directly addresses the question about how the change affects prison officers. It states that they are excluded from the transitional arrangements, which apply to national pay-scale cohorts recognised by the Measured Assessment Commission, and that only a very small number will settle at 10 years. It gives no precise figures for that small number, and its closing commitment to further discussion with the Justice Secretary is vague, so a member of the public would get a clear general answer but might still ask for specifics.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the Home Office's assessment or view of the effect that the changes to the five-year settlement route will have on the Prison Service. | Addressed | Direct | The reply gives the Government's view of the effect on prison officers: they are excluded from the transitional arrangements because those apply to MAC-recognised national pay-scale cohorts, and only a very small number will settle at 10 years. It also notes ongoing discussions with the Justice Secretary, which fits the convention that a general position on the effect is what was being asked. The closing commitment is vague, but the earlier statements are concrete enough to carry the answer. |