Union welcomes Labour commitment to stop building private prisons and end outsourcing to the private sector

The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) today welcomed Labour’s commitment to stop the outsourcing of prisons to the private sector and to make sure all prisons in future are publicly owned. 

Shadow Justice Minister Richard Burgon grilled Prison’s minister Rory Stewart over his shock announcement yesterday that the refurbishment of HMP&YOI Glen Parva prison would be financed by the private sector. 

The recent Carillion collapse left 480 public sector contracts which the company had responsibility for, in jeopardy, costing the taxpayer £148m.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “We welcome Richard Burgon putting pressure on the Prisons minister today and Labour’s commitment to end the policy of building private prisons and out sourcing publicly run prisons to the private sector.

 “The announcement that Glen Parva will be demolished and the subsequent redevelopment financed and managed by the private sector is beyond contemptible. How many more Carillion debacles need to happen before the government recognises that the private sector has no place running our public services? 

“At a time when prisons are in the worst state for decades and new facilities are required, having a privately managed Glen Parva will only delay modernisation of the estate and have a negative impact on staff.

“What we need is publicly funded modern prisons which provide the kind of environment where staff are paid well, can work in safety and where prisoners have a fair chance of being rehabilitated after their sentence has ended.  

“The union will lobby the minister for a meeting to discuss the reasoning behind the decision and will be urging him to reconsider.”