The documents
Here we plan to place copies of the original documents released by the prison service following
Freedom of Information requests as well as studies by academics and think tanks.
Locked-up Potential - report from the Centre for Social Justice
Round table on prison labour - Ethical Trading Initiative
Extract from Freedom of Information request
Prison service statement on prison labour
“Over the past decade investment in education and training in prisons and in the community has contributed to a
reduction in the frequency of adult re-offending by 20.3 per cent between 2000 and 2007.
“Every year almost 12 million hours are worked in prison industries valued at around £30 million to businesses that
depend on it. And in 2007 almost 40,000 prisoners went into training and employment at the end of their sentence.
“We are actively engaging with employers to create employment opportunities for offenders both in prison and on
release, and our Corporate Alliance, set up to promote employer engagement activities, includes over 100 organisations.
“Prisons also have a variety of workshops, which provide offenders with both training and practical work experience.
Offenders can gain qualifications, related to specific labour market requirements, which will be useful to them and
employers on release.
“NOMS works with employers to encourage the recruitment of offenders and to ensure that skills and employment
provision remains relevant to employers’ needs.
“However, many prisoners have never worked or have poor work histories and have low education attainments, and
therefore need a low level job to start getting used to employment. For many (irrespective of the task) it is the first time
they've worked together in a team to produce anything which is itself a positive step towards resettlement.
“No serving prisoners are employed by private companies so prisoners do not have employee status and are not covered
by minimum wage legislation. 80 per cent of the work done in prisons is for the internal market meaning that the work
done by prisoners reduces the cost of imprisonment to the taxpayer providing an element of restitution.
“The Prison Service has a statutory duty under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, to provide a safe place of work.
This applies to all prison areas and activities across the Service including the production of goods and the provision of
services through prison industries.”
Issued 17/7/9
