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| Prison violence crisis talks get under way as union calls off protests Prison violence crisis talks get under way as union calls off protests | |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| Urgent talks between the justice secretary, Elizabeth Truss, and leaders of the prison officers’ union over tackling levels of violence in jails across England and Wales have got under way. | Urgent talks between the justice secretary, Elizabeth Truss, and leaders of the prison officers’ union over tackling levels of violence in jails across England and Wales have got under way. |
| The high-level talks followed the suspension by the Prison Officers Association of plans to stage protest meetings outside prisons and the union taking over control of regimes in “unsafe” prisons. | The high-level talks followed the suspension by the Prison Officers Association of plans to stage protest meetings outside prisons and the union taking over control of regimes in “unsafe” prisons. |
| The union had said it would enforce a “controlled unlock” – letting out only a small number of prisoners from their cells at a time – in those jails considered to be unsafe to work in. | The union had said it would enforce a “controlled unlock” – letting out only a small number of prisoners from their cells at a time – in those jails considered to be unsafe to work in. |
| The POA, which is banned by law from taking industrial action, suspended its threat in the face of an injunction obtained by the National Offender Management Service and the offer of urgent talks with the justice secretary. | The POA, which is banned by law from taking industrial action, suspended its threat in the face of an injunction obtained by the National Offender Management Service and the offer of urgent talks with the justice secretary. |
| Michael Spurr, the Noms chief executive, has committed to “urgent talks to address issues of concern relating to health and safety and recruitment and retention of staff”. | Michael Spurr, the Noms chief executive, has committed to “urgent talks to address issues of concern relating to health and safety and recruitment and retention of staff”. |
| He has told the prison officers union they will also hold wider discussions on prison reform, including pay and pensions, after Truss has made a major speech outlining her prison safety and reform plans on Thursday. | He has told the prison officers union they will also hold wider discussions on prison reform, including pay and pensions, after Truss has made a major speech outlining her prison safety and reform plans on Thursday. |
| “Talks will commence on Tuesday 1 November with the aim of concluding all matters by Friday 11 November,” says Spurr’s letter to the POA seen by the Guardian. | “Talks will commence on Tuesday 1 November with the aim of concluding all matters by Friday 11 November,” says Spurr’s letter to the POA seen by the Guardian. |
| The talks follow the latest official figures published last week showing there were 65 assaults on staff and inmates every day. In the year to June, the number of assaults on staff jumped by 43% to 5,954, with 697 recorded as serious. | The talks follow the latest official figures published last week showing there were 65 assaults on staff and inmates every day. In the year to June, the number of assaults on staff jumped by 43% to 5,954, with 697 recorded as serious. |
| “Quite frankly, we are running out of time to save our prison service,” said Ralph Valerio, the vice-chairman of the POA. “Government inertia is a great cause of the violence epidemic that is sweeping our prison estate at this moment in time. | “Quite frankly, we are running out of time to save our prison service,” said Ralph Valerio, the vice-chairman of the POA. “Government inertia is a great cause of the violence epidemic that is sweeping our prison estate at this moment in time. |
| “Putting prison officers on to a landing isn’t going to be the panacea to all ills. However, it will be a very positive step maintaining ... retaining, the health and safety of those in our care. And, of course, for the prison officers.” | “Putting prison officers on to a landing isn’t going to be the panacea to all ills. However, it will be a very positive step maintaining ... retaining, the health and safety of those in our care. And, of course, for the prison officers.” |
| In the House of Commons, the justice secretary told MPs on Tuesday that last week’s violence statistics showed “the very serious issues we have in our prisons, including a 43% rise in the number of attacks on officers. This is unacceptable, and I am determined to tackle it. I have already announced an investment of £14m in 10 of our most challenging prisons, and I shall say more with the launch of our white paper shortly.” | In the House of Commons, the justice secretary told MPs on Tuesday that last week’s violence statistics showed “the very serious issues we have in our prisons, including a 43% rise in the number of attacks on officers. This is unacceptable, and I am determined to tackle it. I have already announced an investment of £14m in 10 of our most challenging prisons, and I shall say more with the launch of our white paper shortly.” |
| Truss said there were a number of factors behind the levels of violence, including the trade behind bars in new psychoactive substances, but she did acknowledge a clear link with staffing levels. “I acknowledge that there is an issue with staffing, which is why I have already taken steps in 10 of the most challenging prisons to increase staffing levels, and why we are due to do more in the white paper,” she said. | Truss said there were a number of factors behind the levels of violence, including the trade behind bars in new psychoactive substances, but she did acknowledge a clear link with staffing levels. “I acknowledge that there is an issue with staffing, which is why I have already taken steps in 10 of the most challenging prisons to increase staffing levels, and why we are due to do more in the white paper,” she said. |