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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Planned prison pay rise abandoned | Planned prison pay rise abandoned |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A planned 38% increase in the minimum weekly pay for prisoners in England and Wales has been abandoned the day before it was due to come into force. | A planned 38% increase in the minimum weekly pay for prisoners in England and Wales has been abandoned the day before it was due to come into force. |
| The rise from a minimum £4 to £5.50 for work inside jails would have been the first increase since the mid-1990s. | The rise from a minimum £4 to £5.50 for work inside jails would have been the first increase since the mid-1990s. |
| Instructions ordering the change were removed from the Prison Service's website late on Tuesday. | Instructions ordering the change were removed from the Prison Service's website late on Tuesday. |
| The Ministry of Justice said the new rates had been withdrawn and were now part of a ministerial review. | The Ministry of Justice said the new rates had been withdrawn and were now part of a ministerial review. |
| Under Prison Service rules, inmates who take part in "purposeful activity" are paid a small amount as part of measures to encourage rehabilitation. | Under Prison Service rules, inmates who take part in "purposeful activity" are paid a small amount as part of measures to encourage rehabilitation. |
| Payments are made for activities including prison work or attending classes or schemes designed to tackle offending. | Payments are made for activities including prison work or attending classes or schemes designed to tackle offending. |
| Prisoners can also lose money for disciplinary reasons. | Prisoners can also lose money for disciplinary reasons. |
| The minimum pay for prisoners who are ill or deemed unemployed because there is not anything for them to do was also set to go up, from £2.50 to £4, a rise of 60%. | The minimum pay for prisoners who are ill or deemed unemployed because there is not anything for them to do was also set to go up, from £2.50 to £4, a rise of 60%. |
| Behaviour standards | Behaviour standards |
| In statement, the Ministry of Justice said: "The issue as to whether pay rates should be increased is now being reviewed as part of [prison minister] David Hanson's proposals for a new compact balancing the opportunities we give to offenders to turn away from a life of crime with what the community is going to expect of them in return. | In statement, the Ministry of Justice said: "The issue as to whether pay rates should be increased is now being reviewed as part of [prison minister] David Hanson's proposals for a new compact balancing the opportunities we give to offenders to turn away from a life of crime with what the community is going to expect of them in return. |
| "That means meeting certain standards of behaviour whilst in prison and on release, for instance getting off and staying off drugs." | "That means meeting certain standards of behaviour whilst in prison and on release, for instance getting off and staying off drugs." |
| Nick Palmer, Labour MP and member of the justice select committee, said it was right the rise is prisoners' pay was put on hold at a time when other public service workers were being asked to accept pay rises of 2-3%. | |
| If we are serious about encouraging people to lead a responsible life on release...then it is not to much to ask that they get another pound a week Juliet LyonPrison Reform Trust | |
| "I do not think you can sensibly or even reasonably say that prisoners should get a pay rise of 38%," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | |
| But Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said the pay was important preparation for life outside prison. | |
| "If we are serious about encouraging people to lead a responsible life on release and work constructively then clearly it is not to much to ask that they get another pound a week," she added. | |
| The Prison Service operates a range of restrictions on prisoners' finances and they are not allowed to hold cash for security reasons. | The Prison Service operates a range of restrictions on prisoners' finances and they are not allowed to hold cash for security reasons. |
| However, they can carry out a limited range of financial transactions, including sending cheques to people outside of jail, if the authorities conclude there are no security implications. | However, they can carry out a limited range of financial transactions, including sending cheques to people outside of jail, if the authorities conclude there are no security implications. |
| Governors can set their own pay rates for working prisoners if they believe that higher rates will provide an incentive. Prisoners can spend money with certain caveats. | Governors can set their own pay rates for working prisoners if they believe that higher rates will provide an incentive. Prisoners can spend money with certain caveats. |
| Last week Glyn Travis, of the Prison Officers Association, argued inmates were happy to stay inside because they could obtain drugs, mobile phones and sex. | Last week Glyn Travis, of the Prison Officers Association, argued inmates were happy to stay inside because they could obtain drugs, mobile phones and sex. |
| He said conditions were "cushy" and one drug dealer had regularly broken into a Yorkshire prison by using a ladder to enter cell windows. | He said conditions were "cushy" and one drug dealer had regularly broken into a Yorkshire prison by using a ladder to enter cell windows. |
| The Prison Service said the prisoners had never been in a position to escape. | The Prison Service said the prisoners had never been in a position to escape. |