§ Dr. Goodson-WickesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now announce the form and scope of the review of prisoners' pay; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HurdIn response to recommendations contained in reports last year by the then deputy director general of the prison service and by Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons, I have decided to put in hand a review of the arrangements for paying earnings to inmates of prison service establishments in England and Wales.
Inmates are paid at pocket money levels for work done, from which they may purchase items such as tobacco, sweets, stamps, soft drinks and additional toiletries from the canteen. Within approved limits, prison income may be supplemented by private cash. The present arrangements have been subjected to two main criticisms: first, that rates of pay are inadequate, particularly where inmates have access to pay-telephones; secondly, that the system of pay differentials, for different types of work and as between different establishments, does not provide the right incentives. The review will examine these points and a number of detailed aspects of the inmate pay system about which representations have been made from time to time.
The vast majority of inmates employed at establishments are engaged in tasks for the prison service (including the manufacture of items for internal use, food production, cleaning, catering, building and grounds maintenance) and productivity is limited by the constraints of the prison routine, turnover of inmates and other factors. In the circumstances, I have decided that this review should not extend to the possibility of paying inmates full market rates of pay.
542WThe review, which is to be conducted by the prison service's management services unit, is scheduled to start in April and I would expect to be in a position to reach conclusions by early next year.