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Planned prison pay rise abandoned Planned prison pay rise abandoned
(29 minutes 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.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he had delayed the decision on rates to allow the creation of a new inmate contract which would encourage good behaviour.
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. The Prison Reform Trust said the pay rise was important for rehabilitation.
The Ministry of Justice said the new rates had been withdrawn and were now part of a ministerial review. Mr Brown told BBC Radio 4's Today programme any changes in pay should be part of a new prisoners' contract which was currently being drawn up.
"I think any debate about what prisoners receive in pay should be part of that new contract," said Mr Brown.
"There should be rights, but there should be responsibilities, and it's the responsibilities of prisoners that I am interested in."
Behaviour standards
In a statement, the Ministry of Justice confirmed pay rates would now be reviewed as part of prison minister David Hanson's proposals for a new contract, which aims to prepare prisoners for life outside jail.
It is intended to reward inmates for good behaviour and participation in programmes designed to prevent reoffending.
"That means meeting certain standards of behaviour whilst in prison and on release, for instance getting off and staying off drugs," the statement added.
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
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 - such as catering, cleaning, data entry or component assembly - 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%.
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.
"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%.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."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. But Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said the pay was an important part of 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."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.
Financial restrictions
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 under the proposals, from £2.50 to £4, a rise of 60%.
But Colin Moses, national chairman of the Prison Officers' Association, told BBC Radio 5 Live's Breakfast programme prisoners should be paid only for doing work.
"What we need to do is get prisoners out of their cells and working - not pay them for idleness. We have far too many people in prison currently not being occupied with work."
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. Inmates can also spend their earnings on phone calls, renting a TV or buying goods from the canteen.
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.
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.