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Prison Officers

Volume 958: debated on Monday 13 November 1978

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asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will detail all the sanctions employed by prison officers in the last year; in what prisons they occurred; for what reason; and what were the consequences.

The establishments in England and Wales at which industrial action has been taken by local branches of the Prison Officers Association during the past 12 months are as follows:

  • Albany
  • Ashford
  • Aylesbury Bedford
  • Blundeston
  • Bristol
  • Brixton
  • Brockhill
  • Camp Hill
  • Canterbury
  • Cardiff
  • Channings Wood
  • Coldingley
  • Dartmoor
  • Dorchester
  • Durham
  • Eastwood Park
  • Feltham
  • Finnamore Wood
  • Gartree
  • Gavnes Hall
  • Hollesley Bay
  • Hull
  • Highpoint
  • Lancaster
  • Leicester
  • Leyhill
  • Liverpool
  • Long Lartin
  • Low Newton
  • New Hall
  • North Sea Camp
  • Norwich
  • Onley
  • Oxford
  • Parkhurst
  • Pentonville
  • Portland
  • Portsmouth
  • Puckleehutch
  • Ranby
  • Reading
  • Rochester
  • Shrewsbury
  • Stafford
  • Stanford Hill
  • Sudbury
  • Swansea
  • Swinfen Hall
  • Wakefield
  • Wansworth
  • Whatton
  • Winchester
  • Wormwood Scrubs
The forms of the action taken have included instances in which visits of solicitors, police officers and probation officers have been restricted or prevented; the process of delivery and reception of prisons to and from courts of all levels of jurisdiction has been disrupted or halted, as has the transfer of prisoners in and out of establishments; the movement of staff, building contractors, vehicles, and supplies into prisons has been prevented; the unlocking of inmates has been delayed; and restrictions have been placed on prisoners' exercise, association, bathing and educational classes and the operation of prison workshops.The reasons given for the industrial action have included disputes about manning levels, bank holiday pay arrangements, staff facilities, staff quarters, duty systems, overcrowding, payment for meal breaks and working conditions at establishments. Action has also been taken in support of claims for a cost of living allowance for Isle of Wight prisons.