23 Jun 2009 : Column 3MC

23 Jun 2009 : Column 3MC

Ministerial Corrections

Tuesday 23 June 2009

Northern Ireland

Prison Service: Misconduct

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prison officers have been (a) suspended and (b) dismissed on grounds of gross misconduct in each of the last three years; and for what reasons in each case. [277750]

[Official Report, 9 June 2009, Vol. 493, c. 833W.]

Letter of correction from Paul Goggins:

An error has been identified in the answer given to the hon. Member for North Down (Lady Hermon) on 9 June 2009 on prison officer misconduct. It has come to my attention that the figure provided by the Prison Service omitted one suspension from the 2008 figures. The total suspensions for that year should read 18, i.e. 17 for neglect of duty and one for an inappropriate relationship with a prisoner.

The correct answer is as follows:

23 Jun 2009 : Column 4MC

Paul Goggins: The table shows the number of prison officers who have been (a) suspended and (b) dismissed on grounds of misconduct in the last three years for the reasons stated—

	Action	Misc onduct
2006	4 suspensions	1 harassment
		2 PSNI criminal investigations
		1 fraudulent activity involving expenses
	3 dismissals	1 failure to provide relevant information on security form
		2 subject to criminal proceedings
2007	2 suspensions	1 interfered with prisoner’s confidential correspondence
		1 fraudulent activity involving a prisoner
	2 dismissals	1 harassment
		1 fraudulent activity involving a prisoner
2008	18 suspensions	17 neglect of duty
		1 inappropriate relationship with a prisoner
	2 dismissals	1 interfered with prisoner's confidential correspondence
		1 inappropriate relationship with a prisoner

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