Supplementary memorandum submitted by
Paul Goggins, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Correctional
Services, Home Office
Further to the evidence given at the meeting
of the Education and Skills Select Committee, I thought it might
be helpful to provide some examples of the various pay schemes
operating within Prison Service establishments.
Prison Service policy requires that prisoners
receive payment if they participate constructively in the regime
of a prison. The pay schemes and rates of pay that operate within
establishments are a matter for local management, subject to national
criteria.
Governors and Directors of contracted out prisons
must have and publish a local pay structure that:
— Reflects Prison Service priorities.
— Supports and encourages constructive
participation in regime activities.
— Does not provide disincentives to
participation in constructive activities, which are part of a
prisoner's sentence/training plan, or learning plan, intended
to reduce the risk of re-offending.
— Complies with the parameters of the
Prison Service Orders on Prisoners Pay and on Incentives and Earned
Privileges policies.
— Rewards good performance and penalises
poor performance.
— Is open, fair, balanced and affordable.
All Governors and Directors of contracted out
prisons must ensure that the prisoner pay structure in their establishment
is reviewed annually as part of the business planning process
and that information on the pay structure is available to all
prisoners.
Whatever type of scheme an establishment operates,
it is essential that it is rational and structured, the requirements
of the scheme are clear to both prisoners and staff and it is
not applied in an arbitrary or discriminatory way. Prisoners who
take part in a prison regime either in work, induction, education,
training or offending behaviour programmes will receive at least
the national minimum rates of pay.
There is a common assumption that payment for
education is always less than that for employment. In fact the
position is more mixed.
I have attached an annex setting out some of
the many examples of pay systems around the country. These illustrate
the process of review and the way that pay systems are not only
supporting education but can also be seen by both staff and prisoners
to be fair and balanced.
EXAMPLES OF
PRISON PAY
SCHEMES AND
REVIEWS UNDERTAKEN
HMP Lindholme
At HMP Lindholme there is a 5-staged process.
At stage 1 all the prisoners are interviewed and during this induction
period a learning pathway (sentence plan based on gaining skills)
is created and they are paid £7. Stage 2 is an assessment
period in either production workshops or education where they
are paid £10. Stage 3 is entry to the learning pathway and
pay is £12 per week. Stage 4 is continuous learning paid
at £15 per week. Stage 5 is qualified status or Peer Partner.
£18.50.
HMP Swaleside
A complete review of the regime is being undertaken.
Report due January for implementation from April, with the intention
of making learning and skills central to the operation of the
establishment. In the meantime the instruction below was put out
to incentivise prisoners to get more engaged in basis skills learning.
HMP Standford Hill
A pay review was conducted during summer 2004
to re-focus education pay. As a result pay was increased from
an average of £7 to £8.40 per week. Attendance has remained
acceptable but not been much affected. They will be looking at
an integrated regime model next year to reward educational attainment.
HMP Canterbury
Conduct regular reviews of prisoners' pay, most
recently in spring 2004. Currently those employed in full-time
education receive £8 with bonuses paid for accreditations
achieved. Looking at other ways to incentivise education eg by
giving greater access to gym. Other current initiative is to deliver
"embedded basic skills" within the workshop environment
(funded in the short-term by OLSU) by a teacher on 1:1 basis or
with small groups. Although very new, this is proving very successful
targeting "hard to reach" learners who have shown an
aversion to a classroom setting.
HMP Cookham Wood
Full time education is one of the higher paid
jobs and bonuses are given for accredited courses and other educational
achievements. Literacy and numeracy attract a £3 bonus (level
1, 2 and entry level). Planned accredited courses and other educational
courses attract £1 per course.
Blantyre House
All prisoners are paid the same wage but all
are expected to undertake education on a part-time basis along
with a part-time job whilst at Stage 1. All education is needs
based.
HMYOI Deerbolt
HMYOI Deerbolt is currently in the process of
reviewing prisoners pay, which currently averages £6.50 per
week for all employment except the Laundry and Kitchen, which
are paid at a higher rate of £15 per week, this reflects
the importance of such work and in the case of the Laundry the
unpleasantness of the task.
Within all education and training courses the
pay rate is £6.50, but bonus payments of £5 are made
for successful completion of accredited courses and the gaining
of nationally recognised qualifications.
HMP Kirklevington
HMP Kirklevington reviewed pay rates in the
summer of 2004 as it does every year. The pay rates were increased
and the review team considered the resettlement ethos of the establishment
when applying increments, in particular to community work, education
and full-time employment.
The team considered that using a high payment
to encourage prisoners onto education was not required at HMP
Kirklevington Grange. On entry to the prison the needs of prisoners
are identified using a formal system of testing and this together
with the sentence planning provides the targets for prisoners
with the opportunity to move to full-time external employment
being the incentive. The need is for prisoners to qualify, prior
to taking on community work or full-time paid employment with
the establishment providing the training opportunities.
HMYOI Wetherby
A recent review conducted by the Governor of
HMYOI Wetherby found that the pay for trainees in education compared
unfairly with other activities. Trainees working in the kitchen
were paid up to £15, with trainees in education getting £7.50.
The current system also failed to allow staff to reward trainees'
good behaviour but allowed them to apply sanctions by reducing
pay for bad behaviour.
As a result a new system has been developed
this includes an element of the pay that allows staff to recommend
both increases and reductions in pay for positive or negative
behaviour, the system will be introduced shortly. There will be
parity of pay across activities, but pay will be decided by behaviour
as well as attendance in all areas of the prison.
HMP Leeds
Is currently reviewing pay. At present HMP Leeds
pay prisoners £0.80p per day + £2 per week for a full
week's attendance giving a £6 per week basic pay to all prisoners.
If a prisoner passes an exam they will receive an extra £2.50.
In industries the basic pay average is £7.50
per week, however, each workshop is bound by a pay policy that
sets rates for training at £4.50.
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