Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what representations she has received on prison officers working additional shifts in other prison establishments than those at which they are based without the knowledge of their line management.

Following an audit of the arrangements under which members of staff undertake additional hours/shifts, new arrangements and requirements were introduced that mandated the need to maintain records of all attendance arrangements, both those within parent establishments and also any additional attendance within other establishments.

The above new arrangements were introduced in 2014 with the publication of Notice to Staff 43/2014.

Concerns have previously been raised relating to staff undertaking additional hours/shifts within establishments other than their home/parent establishment by the Prison Officers Association. It is felt that the introduction of the above address’s this, as the arrangements ensure that information is readily available to managers to enable them to monitor the additional attendance.