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UCU responds to Tory prison plans

4 March 2008

UCU has this week responded to the Conservative's plans for prison reform.

While welcoming their focus on the rehabilitation of offenders, the union defended the improving performance of prison educators who came in for sharp criticism from the Tories.

In a letter to the media, UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'The [Conservative's] document criticises the lack of existing successful prison education, and hails the solution as 'third sector providers' to educate and train offenders both inside prison and after release.

'In fact, prison education, carried out under the direction of the national Offender Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) has improved in quality, as testified by Ann Owers, Chief Inspector of Prisons, in her recent annual report where she concluded that, 'the quality, if not always the quantity of education and skills is improving'.

Sally said of the opposition party's plans to bring in 'third sector providers' to run prison education, that 'the inevitable fragmentation would be detrimental to the quality of offenders' education and training both inside and outside the prison walls.'

Last updated: 14 December 2015

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