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Prison officers in 31 jails set for pay rises of up to £5,000 Prison officers in 31 jails set for pay rises of up to £5,000
(about 3 hours later)
Thousands of prison officers at 31 jails in London and south-east England are to get pay rises of between £3,000 and £5,000, as part of a £12m package. Thousands of prison officers at jails in London and south-east England are to get pay rises of up to £5,000 to boost staffing levels.
The increase means new starters could receive up to £29,500 a year.The increase means new starters could receive up to £29,500 a year.
Ministers said they wanted to attract the "best talent". Prisons with recruitment issues are being targeted. Ministers said they wanted to attract the "best talent", after concerns the prison service was understaffed.
Jails have been hit by staff strikes and rising violence in recent months. A union welcomed the rise, but said ministers were "papering over cracks".Jails have been hit by staff strikes and rising violence in recent months. A union welcomed the rise, but said ministers were "papering over cracks".
The Prison Officers Association (POA) added that the government was dealing with "crisis management on a daily basis". The Prison Officers Association (POA) also said the increase was "divisive" as it didn't affect all staff.
The pay increase applies to "band 3" staff, who make up the majority of front-line officers. The pay increases - worth between £3,000 and £5,000 - will apply to "Band 3" staff, who make up the majority of front-line officers.
Prisons in London and the south-east, including Wormwood Scrubs, Pentonville, Belmarsh and Whitemoor, were chosen as they find it harder to recruit. A total of £12m will be targeted at prisons in south-east England , such as Wormwood Scrubs, Pentonville, and Belmarsh, who have problems recruiting and retaining their staff.
The £12m package is an attempt to boost falling prison officer numbers. On Thursday, it emerged that in 2016 the number of front-line prison staff in England and Wales had fallen to 17,888, compared to nearly 25,000 in 2010.
The Ministry of Justice said "thousands" of employees would benefit. Justice Secretary Liz Truss told the BBC that such numbers were no longer needed.
On Thursday, it emerged that in 2016, the number of front-line staff in England and Wales fell by 347 (1.9%) to 17,888. "The world has changed, we're digitising our prisons, we're running them in different ways," she told Andrew Marr.
The leaving rate was almost 9% - almost double the level of four years earlier. 'Game changer'
Steve Gillan, the general secretary of the POA, said it had been told about the increase on Tuesday, and that "not a lot of thought" had gone into the rise. In November, a government White Paper said an extra 2,500 prison officers would be in place by the end of 2018.
"We welcome any new money," he said, "but we're a national service and this only applies to 31 prisons [out of more than 100 in England and Wales]. The rise includes an extra 400 officers recruited by March this year. The Ministry of Justice said it was "on track" to meet that target, with 389 job offers already made to new recruits.
"It doesn't apply to the operational support grades, so the lowest-paid people in the service are getting nothing. Shadow Justice Secretary Richard Burgon said the Conservative government, and the previous coalition, had made a "political decision" to "decrease frontline prison staff by 6,000".
"We pointed that out and there was a deathly silence." "That has been the real game changer," he said. "Speaking to prison officers, I know they believe that as well."
The general secretary of the POA, Steve Gillan, said the union had been told about the pay rise on Tuesday, and that "not a lot of thought" had gone into it.
"We welcome any new money," he said, "but we're a national service."
The union says the pay rise will only apply to 31 prisons, out of more than 100 in England and Wales.
Mr Gillan said the increases did not apply to officers on lower grades.
He said: "The lowest-paid people in the service are getting nothing. We pointed that out and there was a deathly silence."
Mr Gillan also said that pay was not the only concern of his members.Mr Gillan also said that pay was not the only concern of his members.
"The violence in prisons is out of control," he said. "The prisoners are in control, not the staff.""The violence in prisons is out of control," he said. "The prisoners are in control, not the staff."
In November, a government White Paper said an extra 2,500 prison officers would be in place by the end of 2018. Ms Truss said: "Prison officers do a challenging and demanding job day in and day out.
That was on top of an extra 400 officers, to be in place by March this year.
The Ministry of Justice said it was "on track" to meet that target, with 389 job offers made to new recruits.
Justice Secretary Liz Truss said: "Prison officers do a challenging and demanding job day in and day out.
"I want front-line staff to know that their work, experience and loyal service is valued."I want front-line staff to know that their work, experience and loyal service is valued.
"We also want to attract the best new talent into the service, ensuring we recruit and retain the leaders of the future.""We also want to attract the best new talent into the service, ensuring we recruit and retain the leaders of the future."
A Prison and Courts Reform Bill is due to be published this week. The government has said it is aimed at giving prison governors more control over jail management; introducing new performance measures and overhauling prison education.
Ms Truss has said the bill would "enshrine in law that reforming offenders is a key purpose of prison".
"It will transform our prisons from offender warehouses to disciplined and purposeful centres of reform," she said.
The 31 prisons involved are: Aylesbury, Bedford, Bullingdon, Coldingley, Cookham Wood, Downview, Elmley, Feltham, Grendon, High Down, Highpoint, Huntercombe, Medway, Send, Stanford Hill, Swaleside, The Mount, Woodhill, Brixton, Belmarsh, Isis, Pentonville, Rochester, Wandsworth, Wormwood Scrubs, Erlestoke, Lewes, Whitemoor, Chelmsford, Guys Marsh and Littlehey.The 31 prisons involved are: Aylesbury, Bedford, Bullingdon, Coldingley, Cookham Wood, Downview, Elmley, Feltham, Grendon, High Down, Highpoint, Huntercombe, Medway, Send, Stanford Hill, Swaleside, The Mount, Woodhill, Brixton, Belmarsh, Isis, Pentonville, Rochester, Wandsworth, Wormwood Scrubs, Erlestoke, Lewes, Whitemoor, Chelmsford, Guys Marsh and Littlehey.
Are you a prison officer in one of the involved prisons? Let us know about your experiences. Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories. Ministers are due to publish a bill to reform prison and courts this week.
The government has said the changes will give prison governors more control over jail management, introduce new performance measures and improve prison education.
Are you a prison officer in one of the prisons affected? Let us know about your experiences. Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your stories.
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