The Army is on standby to move into jails in England and Wales after the Justice Secretary, Kenneth Clarke, announced yesterday that the private sector is to run three prisons.
Up to 3,000 troops have been trained to run jails in the event of prison officers taking wildcat action over the decision.
The private security contractor G4S is to take over running the 1,400 inmate Birmingham jail from HM Prison Service in October. It will also run the new “supersize” 1,600-inmate Featherstone jail near Wolverhampton next year.
A second private company, Serco, will manage Doncaster prison on a “payment by results” basis, according to whether it manages to reduce reoffending rates.
The Prison Service will continue to run Buckley Hall jail near Rochdale, Mr Clarke told the Commons.
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The 4GS contract to run Birmingham represents the first time a private firm has taken over a big, old inner city jail. Until now they have largely run brand new prisons.
Mr Clarke told MPs: “Over the spending review period, the new contracts will deliver savings of over £21 million for the three existing prisons.”
He hinted that there would be redundancies among staff at Birmingham prison, suggesting that those who might lose their jobs would have the opportunity to apply for posts at the new Featherstone jail when it opens next April.
Mr Clarke warned that it would be “foolish” for the Prison Officers Association to oppose the move and warned that industrial action would be illegal.
He confirmed that contingency plans had been made to use the Army in jails, telling MPs that strike action could spark trouble among inmates.
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“No one is contemplating a military takeover of a prison,” he said. “The Governor will still be in charge. It is only proper that we have military preparations.”
Within minutes of Mr Clarke’s announcement hundreds of prison officers held a meeting outside Birmingham jail.
The Prison Officers Association said it would not rule out industrial action, branding the announcement as a “disgrace”.
The previous Labour Government made the decision to ask private companies to bid to take over the running of Prison Service jails.
Anne Owers, the former chief inspector of prisons, said in her last report on Birmingham that improvements could be made.
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“Birmingham prison is not helped by its geographical location in the centre of transport links,” she said. “This means that it is too often treated as a transit camp for prisoners passing through en route to other locations, or as a staging post for London prisoners, with the consequence that, in turn, West Midlands men are moved to Liverpool.”
Ms Owers concluded that it was not yet the prison it could be or needed to be. “Some of its problems are common to overcrowded local prisons – too few activities, despite some improvements, and too many prisoners who are transient or far from home. But some required much closer management of, and engagement by, staff, not all of whom at Birmingham were sufficiently active in supporting and working with prisoners.”
There are currently 11 privately run jails in England and Wales and 127 public sector prisons.