The available information provided in the table relates to prisons in England and Wales. Information about prisons in Scotland and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Scottish Executive and Northern Ireland Office respectively.
As at 31 March: Officers 19965 24,593 1997 23,058 1998 23,602 1999 24,113 2000 24,346 20015 24,023 20025 23,681 2003 24,527 20045 25,461 20055 26,246 2006 26,747 2007 27,053 31 July 20076 27,222 1 Figures include both publicly and privately managed prison establishments but not secure training centres. 2 Figures are provided on a headcount basis, i.e. a part-time officer counts as one. 3 Figures relate to prison officers, senior officers and principal officers within the public sector Prison Service and prison custody officers within contracted prisons. 4 Officers employed within public sector Prison Service Headquarters are included. 5 Data for private sector prisons are not available for 1996 and incomplete for 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005. 6 Data are not available for private sector prisons. The total as at 31 March 2007 has been used as a best estimate of the figure as at 31 July 2007.