That is absolutely right. When anybody looks to take up a new employment opportunity, they look at a whole array of things. The public sector is changing by the day—although the Prison Service and the NHS now involve not just the public sector, but the private sector. People look at how their pensions will end up and what the pensionable age is, which we have also been discussing this afternoon. That is a huge consideration for many people who want to choose their profession early on in life. This measure will put people off becoming prison officers.
5.30 pm
I know a lot of prison officers and psychiatric nurses, and they are very committed people. They come to see me in my surgery and they say, “Mr Lavery, I am 50. How am in going to manage to do this job in 15 years’ time?” The measures in the Bill mean that they would have to do just that. We need to scrutinise this. We cannot have people over 65 years of age doing that kind of work. It is absolutely nonsensical. I really hope that we can reach an agreement today to look at that situation again.
An added problem in the prison service is that the work force are growing older, because the prospect of doing the job does not excite people any more, and the prison population is getting not only younger but more dangerous. Violence is on the increase, and an average of eight prison officers are assaulted every day of every week. Not long ago, it was recognised that prison staff had a life expectancy of only 18 months after retirement, yet the Bill gives them no consideration. The Government have still not provided any evidence that front-line prison staff could work in an operational role over the age of 65, yet they are still considering that option.