House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Prison Service Pay Review Body: Recommendation 3 and Prison Safety

Tuesday 16 March 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

Six out of seven recommendations from the Prison Service Pay Review Body were accepted in full.
The pay freeze does not apply to those earning under 24,000.
Focus is on ensuring prison officer safety through body-worn cameras and SPEAR training.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Mary Foy Lab City of Durham

Justice & Courts

Context

The Prison Service Pay Review Body recommended a pay rise, which the government rejected. The decision is seen as potentially undermining prison safety due to staff morale issues.

Question

What assessment has been made of the potential effect on prison safety of rejecting the Prison Service Pay Review Body's recommendation for pay increase? The rejection is viewed negatively by experts who argue it undermines safety and could lead to higher costs in terms of staff retention and tax receipts. Is there a broader political concern about setting a precedent for public sector workers demanding better pay?

Answer from Alex Chalk

Six out of seven recommendations were accepted in full. The freeze will not apply to those earning under £24,000. Focus on ensuring officers feel safe with body-worn cameras and SPEAR training.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific impact on prison safety from rejecting the pay rise was not fully addressed.

How: Changing Subject To Conditions

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

What was wrong?

Comment (optional)

Get updates like this by email

Q2 Mary Foy Lab City of Durham

Justice & Courts Employment

Context

The government rejected the Prison Service Pay Review Body's recommendation for a pay increase, despite previous acceptance of similar recommendations. This decision has raised concerns about the impact on staff morale and retention.

Question

What is the real reason behind denying prison officers a pay rise when rejecting expert advice undermines safety and could lead to higher costs due to staff turnover? Is there political worry about encouraging other public sector workers to demand better pay?

Answer from Alex Chalk

Six out of seven recommendations were accepted in full. The freeze does not apply to those earning under £24,000. Focus is on ensuring officers feel safe with body-worn cameras and SPEAR training.