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Truss: Extra 2,100 prison officers to be deployed Truss: Extra 2,100 prison officers to be deployed
(35 minutes later)
An extra 2,100 prison officers are to be recruited to ease staffing shortages in jails in England and Wales, Justice Secretary Liz Truss will say later.An extra 2,100 prison officers are to be recruited to ease staffing shortages in jails in England and Wales, Justice Secretary Liz Truss will say later.
Unveiling a White Paper, Ms Truss will say the new recruits should help to reduce attacks on staff and prisoners.Unveiling a White Paper, Ms Truss will say the new recruits should help to reduce attacks on staff and prisoners.
She will detail plans for more autonomy for governors and ensure drug tests for inmates when they enter and leave jail.She will detail plans for more autonomy for governors and ensure drug tests for inmates when they enter and leave jail.
But Labour said the speech would be a "blatant PR stunt" unless comprehensive plans to address staff cuts were made.But Labour said the speech would be a "blatant PR stunt" unless comprehensive plans to address staff cuts were made.
Since 2010, prison officer numbers have fallen from about 25,000 to 18,000.Since 2010, prison officer numbers have fallen from about 25,000 to 18,000.
At the same time, the number of prisoners has risen slightly.At the same time, the number of prisoners has risen slightly.
The extra officers, costing £100m a year, will not restore staffing to the levels seen before 2010.The extra officers, costing £100m a year, will not restore staffing to the levels seen before 2010.
How dangerous are our prisons?How dangerous are our prisons?
Drugs and tension: Inside Wandsworth
Ms Truss told BBC Breakfast the extra staff "will enable us to have a dedicated officer for each six prisoners".
"That's the ratio that we can operate at to make sure that each prisoner gets that individual support that helps them reform, get off drugs, get into work, but also keeps the prison safe".
But staff levels are not the only issue, she said, adding: "It's also about tackling the drones, the drugs, the phones".
The debate around escalating levels of violence, suicide and self-harm in prisons has increasingly focused on staff shortages.The debate around escalating levels of violence, suicide and self-harm in prisons has increasingly focused on staff shortages.
aLatest figures show a new high of 65 assaults in jails every day. Latest figures show a new high of 65 assaults in jails every day.
In the year to June, assaults on staff jumped by 43% to 5,954, with 697 of these recorded as serious.In the year to June, assaults on staff jumped by 43% to 5,954, with 697 of these recorded as serious.
Union leaders warned on Wednesday that prisons were facing bloodbaths unless more staff were recruited and retained.Union leaders warned on Wednesday that prisons were facing bloodbaths unless more staff were recruited and retained.
Steve Gillan, of the Prison Officers Association (POA), said proper staffing levels were needed if officers - not inmates - were to be in charge of jails.Steve Gillan, of the Prison Officers Association (POA), said proper staffing levels were needed if officers - not inmates - were to be in charge of jails.
He told BBC Breakfast: "The reality is this government has caused the problem - they've cut the staffing levels, they've taken so much money out of the system that the system is broken.He told BBC Breakfast: "The reality is this government has caused the problem - they've cut the staffing levels, they've taken so much money out of the system that the system is broken.
"And my union will not stand by and watch our members become punch bags on a daily basis. We want agreement with this government on a system going forward which puts health and safety at the heart of the prison service". "And my union will not stand by and watch our members become punch bags on a daily basis".
He said the POA would consider industrial action if it cannot reach an agreement with the government by 11 November.
Measures expected in the Prison Safety and Reform White Paper include:
Warnings have also come from prisoners on the inside, with one inmate at London's Pentonville telling the BBC that knives are flown in by drones and razors are melted into toothbrushes to make weapons.Warnings have also come from prisoners on the inside, with one inmate at London's Pentonville telling the BBC that knives are flown in by drones and razors are melted into toothbrushes to make weapons.
Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon said Ms Truss needed to "regain the trust of prison governors and prison officers" with her speech.Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon said Ms Truss needed to "regain the trust of prison governors and prison officers" with her speech.
"The reduction by 25% of frontline prison officers mean those that remain are overstretched, overwhelmed and without support," he said.
"Without a comprehensive plan to deal with these issues then her speech will be nothing more than empty words and a blatant PR stunt.""Without a comprehensive plan to deal with these issues then her speech will be nothing more than empty words and a blatant PR stunt."
Mr Gillan said: "We all know the statistics - Liz Truss herself has conceded... to us in a meeting that the prisons are full of violence and in some cases out of control.Mr Gillan said: "We all know the statistics - Liz Truss herself has conceded... to us in a meeting that the prisons are full of violence and in some cases out of control.
"She concedes that they are awash with drugs and that we have many problems within our system. That's why we've said we want the here and now dealt with, and the health and safety of prisoners and staff. And that's not being addressed"."She concedes that they are awash with drugs and that we have many problems within our system. That's why we've said we want the here and now dealt with, and the health and safety of prisoners and staff. And that's not being addressed".
Dame Sally Coates, a former head teacher who carried out a review of education in prisons for the government earlier this year, said the extra officers pledge is "probably not going to be enough, but it's a start".Dame Sally Coates, a former head teacher who carried out a review of education in prisons for the government earlier this year, said the extra officers pledge is "probably not going to be enough, but it's a start".
She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that prison officers should be trained to be more than just "turn keys" whose only job is to lock people up. She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme officers should be trained to be more than just "turn keys" whose only job is to lock people up.
Dame Sally said: "If we are really really going to change prisons… they have to be able to do more than that - they are working with some of the most vulnerable, disaffected, violent members of society and yet they're often unskilled, untrained, have very little personal or professional development. Dame Sally said: "If we are really really going to change prisons… they have to be able to do more than that - they are working with some of the most vulnerable, disaffected, violent members of society and yet they're often unskilled, untrained, have very little personal or professional development."
"So we really need to, yes, have more prison officers, but we need to 'skill them up' and train them." Ms Truss said her reform plans addressed not just violence in prison, but reoffending rates.
The measures expected to be laid out in the Prison Safety and Reform White Paper include: She said: "Within a year almost 50% of those who've just left prison are likely to commit another crime. And that costs £15 billion to society and of course huge human misery.
"So as well as getting the violence down, my reform plans are designed to get prisoners into work, off drugs, get the education they need - so that when they leave prison they contribute to society rather than committing crime".
Last month, Ms Truss announced an extra 400 prison officers would be recruited, which means there will be 2,500 new recruits joining the service altogether.Last month, Ms Truss announced an extra 400 prison officers would be recruited, which means there will be 2,500 new recruits joining the service altogether.
BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said it was a significant increase although it would still leave staff numbers below the 2010 level.
In echoes of her predecessor Michael Gove's reform plans, Ms Truss is also planning to give governors more say over how their prisons are run and make sure they are held to account for levels of reoffending and drug misuse.In echoes of her predecessor Michael Gove's reform plans, Ms Truss is also planning to give governors more say over how their prisons are run and make sure they are held to account for levels of reoffending and drug misuse.
If jails are assessed to be failing, the justice secretary will have a new legal duty to intervene.If jails are assessed to be failing, the justice secretary will have a new legal duty to intervene.