Statement – Prisons investment

Responding to the government’s announcement of the largest investment in the prison estate since the Victorian period, Gavin Miller, Community’s National Secretary for the Justice and Custodial sector, said:

“We welcome the government’s commitment to record new investment in our prisons estate, which will make a real difference to our members on the frontline of the justice and custodial sector. The private sector can undoubtedly play a role and work with the government to deliver this much-needed investment.

“Justice and custodial workers saw first-hand how the prisons sector was neglected by the previous government, leading to overcrowding and drastically increased pressures on staff. The fact that the Conservatives only added 500 new prison places between 2010 and 2024 – in contrast to the 28,000 added by the previous Labour government – tells its own sorry story.

“It’s important that this investment in the prison estate is accompanied by investment in the workforce who keep justice sector running every day. That means that we need to see action to increase staffing levels and maintain experienced staff.

“We also need further support to keep our justice workers safe – that should include a commitment to reducing assaults through minimum safe staffing levels on prison wards and tougher penalties for those who attack justice and custodial workers. As a union we will never accept that health and safety risks should come as part of the job.”