Prison Officers Association: Withdrawal from Voluntary Tasks Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Ministry of Justice

Prison Officers Association: Withdrawal from Voluntary Tasks

Nick Smith Excerpts
Tuesday 28th February 2017

(7 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts

Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.

Each Urgent Question requires a Government Minister to give a response on the debate topic.

This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record

Sam Gyimah Portrait Mr Gyimah
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

In addition to the workforce strategy that we will publish later this year, which will focus on the professionalisation of the workforce, last week we announced a progressive promotion opportunity that will allow band 3 officers to do roles relating to safer custody, mentoring and hostage negotiation, and to get a pay rise. That is a huge step not just in professionalising the workforce and allowing people to operate in more senior roles, but in improving the pay packets of our hard-working prison officers.

Nick Smith Portrait Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)
- Hansard - -

Does the Minister accept that his precipitative action will be counterproductive and that any lockdowns are likely to lead to a lot more trouble in prisons?

Sam Gyimah Portrait Mr Gyimah
- Hansard - - - Excerpts

The precipitous action, if I understand the hon. Gentleman correctly, is unlawful strike action, which will do nothing to make our prisons safe.