{"value":{"id":1364065,"askingMemberId":3973,"askingMember":null,"house":"Commons","memberHasInterest":false,"dateTabled":"2021-10-27T00:00:00","dateForAnswer":"2021-10-29T00:00:00","uin":"64578","questionText":"To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the reasonableness of expecting prison officers aged 60 and above to pass the annual fitness test.","answeringBodyId":54,"answeringBodyName":"Ministry of Justice","isWithdrawn":false,"isNamedDay":false,"groupedQuestions":[],"answerIsHolding":false,"answerIsCorrection":false,"answeringMemberId":4399,"answeringMember":null,"correctingMemberId":null,"correctingMember":null,"dateAnswered":"2021-11-04T00:00:00","answerText":"<p>There are many factors which determine a person’s ability to pass a fitness test which are often not determined by age alone. Prison officers need to be capable of performing specific tasks to a certain standard to ensure their safety and the safety of everyone else, including prisoners and work colleagues.</p><p> </p><p>All prison officers must pass an annual fitness test in order to remain in a prison officer role. Staff who do not meet the annual fitness test standard will be provided with advice and support by a fitness assessor on achieving and maintaining the required fitness level. Following an occupational health (OH) referral, management can discuss and consider options for redeployment to roles that do not require the prison officer fitness level.</p><p> </p><p>The annual fitness test is in place to help maintain the safety and security of our prisons by ensuring</p><p>prison officers can discharge the full range of their duties effectively.</p>","originalAnswerText":"","comparableAnswerText":"","dateAnswerCorrected":null,"dateHoldingAnswer":null,"attachmentCount":0,"heading":"Prison Officers: Health","attachments":[],"groupedQuestionsDates":[]},"links":[{"rel":"self","href":"/Questions/1364065","method":"GET"}]}