Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has made an estimate of the value added by unpaid work projects on the secure estate.

While there is not anything specifically named ‘unpaid work’ in prisons, and we therefore cannot provide information on how much has been spent on it, convicted prisoners are expected to work and there are various jobs across prison workshops, kitchens, laundries and other services like wing cleaning, for which prisoners are paid. Prison industries can be commercial, employer-led spaces or can make products for the internal prison market that we would otherwise have to buy (such as cell furniture, prisoner clothing), saving the taxpayer money.

There are also payback punishments in prisons, which act as a means for enabling prisoners to make amends to their prison community for their misbehaviour.