PRT: Pay rise not much to ask
Wednesday, 30 Apr 2008 15:08
The Prison Reform Trust (PRT) has reacted with anger to news that prisoners will not be receiving additional pay from tomorrow.
Juliet Lyon, PRT director, said the 38 per cent pay rise previously proposed by ministers was needed to help inmates pay for phone calls, rent TVs and buy "bits and pieces from the canteen".
She told the Today programme the news was "rubbish".
"This has not changed for ten years and if we are serious about encouraging people to lead a responsible life on release and to work constructively then clearly it is not much to ask that they get another pound a week," Ms Lyon commented.