How many vacant full-time equivalent roles, if any, are expected, forecast, planned, or assumed to remain unfilled during 2026/27 as part of, or in connection with, savings, optimisation, scaling, reprioritisation, fiscal sustainability, or efficiency initiatives in Vote Corrections, broken down by business group and role type? and 1 other question

Answer

I am advised that Corrections has a robust annual planning and internal budgeting process. The internal functional planning and budgeting process for the 2026/27 financial year is still in progress, including decisions regarding staffing. I am further advised that for a large component of the Corrections’ frontline workforce, vacancies are covered through call-backs and overtime work to maintain the safe operations of our prisons. For the non-frontline workforce, while funded FTE is budgeted in full, a level of temporary underspend is anticipated, predominantly due to vacancies. This is utilised within the same financial year for temporary or one-off costs. This is managed at an organisation-wide level and monitored through Executive-level governance. This includes a vacancy management process that requires collective consideration and approval by the Executive Leadership Team to ensure only key enabling workforce roles are replaced or recruited in line with organisational priorities. This process has been in place for a number of years and is expected to continue in the 2026/27 financial year.