To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on how many occasions the Deputy Director General of HM Prison Service recommended a member of staff to receive required hours allowance in each of the years that he occupied the role of (a) Deputy Director General and (b) Director of Operations; what reasons were provided for receipt of the allowance in each case; and if he will make a statement. (153680)

The Director of Operations recommended that one member of his staff be paid required hours allowance. This was to reflect the individual's role as a duty officer in support of the Incident Command Suite and was in line with arrangements for other duty officers. There have been no other recommendations made during his tenure as Director of Operations or Deputy Director General.