Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which prisons were operating below the (a) benchmark and (b) baseline staffing level in (i) December 2013, (ii) January, (iii) February and (iv) March 2014.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 13^th May 2014, Official Report, 480W, in which the benchmark level and staff in post of prison officers was provided.

Benchmarking is by far the best means of delivering value for money for the public purse (savings of £175m by 2015/16). It optimises the skills of staff by introducing new ways of working and puts all prison officers in prisoner-facing roles.

Our benchmarking approach has been agreed with the Unions, and it will help the wider strategy of reconfiguring the prison estate which the NAO has commented is the most coherent and comprehensive for many years. Benchmarking delivers efficiencies whilst ensuring that public sector prisons can operate safely, decently and securely.