Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what consultation his Department carried out with prison officers, trades unions and healthcare professionals before introducing the new pension scheme for prison officers in 2015 which raised the age of retirement to 67 years of age.

This House recognises the significant role that prison officers play within the criminal justice system and the physical and often dangerous nature of their work.

All consultation/negotiations with the Civil Service trade unions, including the Prison Officers Association (POA) who are the trade union responsible for prison officers in HM Prison and Probation Service, were carried out by the Pension Scheme Executive in Civil Service Pensions – Cabinet Office. The Pension Scheme Executive in 2012 held separate additional talks with the POA regarding the increase in pension age and offered a package under the Enhanced Effective Pension Age (EEPA). This provided an opportunity for staff to purchase a lower pension age, which would be subsidised by the employer. The POA membership rejected this offer.