PR 272: THE GOVERNMENT MUST PUBLISH ASSESSMENT OF PRISON MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS SAYS UNION

The Trade Union representing the UKs Prison Officers is calling on the Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood to publish a 2023 Cabinet Office assessment of Prison Maintenance Contracts. 

The Prison Officers Association (POA) has been highlighting the appalling condition of the Prison Estate with crumbling cells, compromised safety and rodent infested jails. The Union called on its members to provide testimony of the condition of the Prisons they were working in. The response was shocking with reports from across the country of the poor condition of the Prison Estate. 

A letter to a POA member from Bradley Thomas MP from Bromsgrove and the Villages claimed, "A comprehensive assessment carried out by the Cabinet Office in 2023 showed that insourcing prison maintenance would not be more cost-effective and would not deliver the best value for money for taxpayers."

In response Steve Gillan, General Secretary of the POA said,

"We do not for one minute accept that the privatised model of Prison maintenance is more cost effective than insourcing and we believe it is completely delusional to claim it provides best value for the taxpayer. Anyone who visits any of the UK’s jails will see the evidence of a crumbling prison estate before their very eyes. In the interest of openness, accountability and transparency Shabana Mahmood must publish the Cabinet Office assessment carried out by the previous Government."

Mark Fairhurst, POA chair added,

"I am very suspicious of a Government that tells us in one breath that insourcing would not be cost effective for the taxpayer but then announces in their second breath that they are refusing to publish the report backing up their claim. This is no way to conduct business. Labour must be transparent and open with tax payers. What are they trying to hide?”

 

ENDS

 

For further information, contact:

POA Press Office                                                  020 8803 0255 Option 7