Oral Answers to Questions

Diana Johnson Excerpts

Tuesday 7th March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Gyimah]

The answer is very straightforward: mutual assistance exists for prisons to support each other in both the private and public sectors.

[Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab)]

Staff morale is very important to safety and security in prisons, so I wish to ask the Minister again about the flexibilities that I understand governors will have on pay increases from 1 April. Will that mean that we could end up with prison officers in Hull being paid less than prison officers down the road in Leeds? How will that affect morale?

[Mr Gyimah]

No. As I said in my answer to a previous question, the matter of Prison Service pay will be decided nationally. The independent pay review body will also submit evidence throughout this year. That will still be the case where we have governor freedoms, but, in giving governors their budgets, they will be able to decide on the mix of staff and how to deploy them.