I beg to move amendment No. 39, in clause 13, page 10, line 13, at end add—

‘( ) A worker at a contracted-out prison shall be subject to qualification requirements that the Secretary of State shall by regulation define.’.

Clause 13 deals with the powers of authorised persons to perform custodial duties and search prisoners. As with earlier amendments, the amendment in my name and that of my hon. Friend the Member for Ceredigion is probing. It addresses the issue of the qualification requirements that the Secretary of State might choose to impose on workers, at contracted-out prisons in particular. I seek to establish precisely what training, qualifications and vetting process will be required of the staff of a contracted-out prison before they are given the special status established in the clause and allowed to perform duties previously reserved for prisoner custody officers.

That information is needed for a number of reasons. First, as with probation, the quality and effectiveness of the Prison Service depends on the individuals working in it. They need to know how to deal effectively with prisoners, how to supervise them with care for the safety of the public and how to help with the rehabilitation process.

At present, somebody wishing to become a prison officer has to undergo a vetting process, a selection test and specific training. There is continual assessment and support from experienced staff. The clause opens up the profession to allow other staff members who have not undergone the necessary training and vetting procedures to work on tasks for which that training is considered vital. For example, supervising prisoners and therefore protecting the public requires a thorough understanding of security checks and searching procedures. Dealing with prisoners who are a danger to themselves or are in danger from other prisoners requires a level of inter-personal skills for which prison officers are tested in the recruitment process but which other staff members do not necessarily have.

We are anxious to gain an assurance from the Minister that those involved in restricted activities such as searching prisoners and visitors and other custodial tasks will have the necessary training and skills. It is essential that training is mandatory and that the supervision of those receiving on-the-job training is vigorous and carried out by experienced PCOs.

Furthermore, it is essential that those working in private, contracted-out prisons can exercise powers to search and detain only within a clear framework of  accountability, as exists in the statutory sector, because of the new powers allowing auxiliary workers to undertake previously restricted tasks such as the searching of children. Will the Minister address that issue?

I hope that nobody will mistake this for a trivial issue. The Howard League for Penal Reform, which has expressed its concerns about the change, found that in one secure training centre alone more than 1,500 searches were carried out, some of which included the instruction to remove all clothing. We must ensure that those carrying out such searches, who will not necessarily be trained and qualified PCOs, are fit to do so. The Children’s Society and Barnardo’s expressed similar concerns in a joint document, writing:

“We are anxious to receive assurances that any powers given to authorised persons to perform custodial duties and search prisoners will, where relevant, be accompanied by robust training requirements, child safety protection and welfare safeguards.”

I share that anxiety and would like an assurance from the Minister that the staff who will perform previously restricted duties will be adequately vetted and trained under the current Department for Education and Skills guidelines for working with children, “Common Core of Skills and Knowledge for the Children’s Workforce”. Will the Minister assure as that those safeguards of child safety will be in place and that auxiliary staff who gain special status will be CRB-checked, checked against the new vetting and barring system put in place under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 and trained according to the most recent DFES guidelines for working with children?