Taxpayers forked out over £2.6million on hotels and train travel for prison guards last year as officers are sent across the country to beef up the ranks at crisis-hit jails.
There is a shortage of prison officers across England and Wales meaning that officers are being pulled from their posts and sent to help out at jails elsewhere.
The cost of the hotel and train bill has soared by 500 per cent in just four years – from £530,322 in 2013 to £2.657m last year, according to Ministry of Justice figures.
This would be enough money to pay for 115 prison officers to work at jails for a year on the starting salary of £23,052.
The figures, which were uncovered by Labour’s shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon, lay bare the cost to the taxpayer of the prisons crisis.
The cost of the hotel and train bill has soared by 500 per cent in just four years – from £530,322 in 2013 to £2.657m last year, according to Ministry of Justice figures. This would be enough money to pay for 115 prison officers to work at jails for a year on the starting salary of £23,052
He told Mail Online: ‘This is an expensive sticking plaster that won’t resolve the crisis in our prisons caused by the Conservatives’ decision to axe thousands of prison officers.
‘Spending millions moving prison officers from one part of the country to cover up staffing gaps elsewhere is yet more evidence of the chaos at the heart of this government’s prisons strategy.
‘It would be much better to invest these funds in recruiting more prison staff.’
Jails in England and Wales have been plunged into crises over the past couple of years – hit by a drugs epidemic and the worst riots in a generation.
An influx of what used to be known as legal highs – including spice – into prisons has prompted a wave of health and behavioural problems in jails.
In December 2016 some 240 inmates were moved out of Birmingham Prison and riot officers were sent in in the worst prison riot since Strangeways in 1990.
And the chief inspector of prisons has issued a series of damning reports hitting out at the state of prisons in England and Wales.
Last month Peter Clarke said Nottingham prison was in a ‘dangerous state’ and ordered the Government to make immediate improvements.
And in another report he said Swansea prison is ‘not fit for purpose’ and racked by violence, overcrowding and self harm.
Justice Minister Rory Stewart said: ‘Prison officers do a challenging and vital job to help protect the public and we are committed to making sure we have enough staff to deliver safe regimes in our prisons.
Jails in England and Wales have been plunged into crises over the past couple of years – hit by a drugs epidemic and the worst riots in a generation. In December 2016 some 240 inmates were moved out of Birmingham Prison and riot officers were sent in (pictured) in the worst prison riot since Strangeways in 1990
‘Detached duty is one of the sensible and proportionate measures we take to cover resourcing pressures and ensure we run safe and decent regimes in prisons as well as being able to respond appropriately to any operational issues that arise.’
He said the Government is aiming to recruit an extra 2,500 prison officers by the end of the year.
He added: ‘Good progress is being made to hit this target, with 1,970 additional officers recruited by 31st December 2017. These new staff will reduce the need for Detached Duty.
‘When there is a need to accommodate staff in hotels, we work hard to ensure the best possible value for money for the taxpayer and have controls in place to help keep costs to a minimum.
Where possible, bookings are for specifically timed trains and always in standard class to help keep costs to a minimum.’