Prisoner safety talks held as attacks on staff rise by 43%

The Justice Secretary says there is a “serious issue with violence and levels of suicide” in prisons in England and Wales.

Prison safety will be at the top of the agenda when Justice Secretary Liz Truss meets Prison Officers’ Association officials this morning.

The talks come amid mounting concerns about the safety of some of the jails in England and Wales, with official figures saying that the number of assaults in prison has reached a new high of 65 every day.

In the year to June, the number of attacks on staff rose by 43% to 5,954, with 697 of them recorded as serious.

The talks are aimed at reaching a agreement later this month, the POA said.

Ms Truss recently announced a further £14m in funding for more than 400 extra staff in prisons.

Last month, the Parole Board chairman warned that safety in prisons has fallen to its most serious level.

In a warning, Professor Nick Hardwick, a former chief inspector of prison, said: “I see no sign that the number of homicides, self-inflicted deaths, self-harm incidents and assaults will not continue to rise.”

The talks come just days after a man was stabbed and died at Pentonville Prison in north London in an incident that left two others seriously injured.

Two other prisoners were arrested in connection with the stabbing. (skynews)