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| Ministry of Justice recruits reserve prison officers | Ministry of Justice recruits reserve prison officers |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The government has started recruiting a reserve force of prison officers for England and Wales, the BBC has learned. | The government has started recruiting a reserve force of prison officers for England and Wales, the BBC has learned. |
| The initiative was called the HM Prison Service Reserve by the Ministry of Justice, in a letter sent to ex-prison officers to gauge interest. | |
| Those who sign up could be called in on short-term contracts from August. | Those who sign up could be called in on short-term contracts from August. |
| The MoJ explained in the letter the move would help it respond to short-term demands, such as a rise in inmate numbers or "operational pressures". | The MoJ explained in the letter the move would help it respond to short-term demands, such as a rise in inmate numbers or "operational pressures". |
| One prison officer who received the letter told the BBC: "The reason for this 'reserve force' being considered is the critical shortage of prison officers in prisons up and down the country." | One prison officer who received the letter told the BBC: "The reason for this 'reserve force' being considered is the critical shortage of prison officers in prisons up and down the country." |
| It comes after the government last month ordered dozens of already full jails to take more inmates because the jail population - which stands at about 85,000 - was growing faster than expected. | It comes after the government last month ordered dozens of already full jails to take more inmates because the jail population - which stands at about 85,000 - was growing faster than expected. |
| 'Zero-hours contract' | 'Zero-hours contract' |
| The MoJ said 100 "reservists" were being recruited on short-term contracts of between three and nine months. | The MoJ said 100 "reservists" were being recruited on short-term contracts of between three and nine months. |
| They would be deployed nationally, "where there is a need for them", said a spokesman. | They would be deployed nationally, "where there is a need for them", said a spokesman. |
| The spokesman said staff who left their jobs through the voluntary early departure scheme would be eligible, though they would have to repay any payments they had received. | The spokesman said staff who left their jobs through the voluntary early departure scheme would be eligible, though they would have to repay any payments they had received. |
| The letter also acknowledges any ex-officer who joins the reserve may find it has an impact on their pension. | The letter also acknowledges any ex-officer who joins the reserve may find it has an impact on their pension. |
| The MoJ said reserve staff would be paid pro-rata salary based on the number of hours they worked and receive travel costs. | The MoJ said reserve staff would be paid pro-rata salary based on the number of hours they worked and receive travel costs. |
| They would be subject to the same terms and conditions as other staff doing the same job, said the spokesman. | They would be subject to the same terms and conditions as other staff doing the same job, said the spokesman. |
| But the former prison officer criticised the scheme, saying the terms of one of the offers was "almost a zero-hours contract". | But the former prison officer criticised the scheme, saying the terms of one of the offers was "almost a zero-hours contract". |
| It is understood a number of former officers have rejected the offer. | It is understood a number of former officers have rejected the offer. |
| 'Address weakness' | 'Address weakness' |
| In the House of Commons earlier this month, Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said he would address "a weakness in our prison system" - "the fact that we have no access to the kind of temporary or agency staff routinely found in our health and education systems". | In the House of Commons earlier this month, Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said he would address "a weakness in our prison system" - "the fact that we have no access to the kind of temporary or agency staff routinely found in our health and education systems". |
| "I am establishing a reserve capability among former staff to give us the flexibility to adapt to short-term changes of population by bringing reserve capacity into operation," he said. | "I am establishing a reserve capability among former staff to give us the flexibility to adapt to short-term changes of population by bringing reserve capacity into operation," he said. |
| Forty prisons in England and Wales have been told to raise their "operational capacity" at a time when most prisons are running at full capacity or are overcrowded. | Forty prisons in England and Wales have been told to raise their "operational capacity" at a time when most prisons are running at full capacity or are overcrowded. |
| It follows the closure of 16 prisons in the past four years, with a number of them closed at short notice. | It follows the closure of 16 prisons in the past four years, with a number of them closed at short notice. |