Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Prison Officers: Pension Age

Tuesday 5 July 2022 · 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

  • The Government are committed to attracting and retaining the best prison staff and officers.
  • The Minister met the Prison Officers Association at its conference in Eastbourne.
  • The Minister is determined to have a good employment offer for all prison officers.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Mary Foy Lab City of Durham
Justice & Courts Employment
Context

The pension age for prison officers is a concern affecting recruitment and retention. Previous discussions with Cabinet colleagues have not yielded concrete results.

Question

What discussions has the Minister had with Cabinet colleagues regarding the impact of the pension age of prison officers on staff (a) recruitment and (b) retention?

Answer from Victoria Atkins

The Government are committed to recognising the extraordinary public service carried out by our hard-working prison staff and officers, and to ensuring that we have a modern employment offer that attracts and retains the very best. I am listening to and working with officers, staff and trade unions on all employment matters.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Discussions about pension age impact on recruitment and retention were not detailed

How: General Commitment Without Specifics

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

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

Get updates like this by email
Q2 Mary Foy Lab City of Durham
Justice & Courts Employment
Context

The Minister agreed over six months ago to meet the Prison Officers Association to discuss prison officer pension age, but this meeting has not taken place.

Question

The Minister agreed more than six months ago in this place and on a number of other occasions to meet with the professional trades union for prison, correctional and secure psychiatric workers—the Prison Officers Association—to discuss prison officer pension age as a standalone issue. Yet I am informed that that meeting is yet to happen or even to be scheduled. Does the Minister understand that making promises to prison officers and then breaking them is an insult to hundreds of my constituents in Durham, but entirely consistent with the way this Government treat those brave and loyal workers?

Answer from Victoria Atkins

I thank the hon. Lady for raising this matter. I have in fact met the Prison Officers Association; indeed, I was delighted to attend its conference in Eastbourne a couple of months ago. In terms of pensions, I am determined to have a good employment offer for all our officers. I will continue to meet the POA union and the other unions that work in our prison estate.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specifics about meeting schedule were not addressed

How: Referred To General Meetings, Deflected Criticism

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

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

Get updates like this by email