PRIVATE SECTOR PRISON MANAGEMENT

That this House condemns the announcement of the privatisation of the public sector prison at Birmingham and the privatisation of the new Featherstone 2 prison; rejects the assertion that Birmingham Prison is a failing institution and commends the expertise and commitment of its prison officers and staff; recognises the success of Birmingham Prison in the rehabilitation of offenders and therefore believes that this decision is ideologically driven; further notes that there is no evidence that the private sector is able to deliver a better or cheaper prison service and that the search for profit is an inappropriate motive in the incarceration of offenders; and therefore supports the Prison Officers Association in their campaign against private prisons and calls on the Government to reconsider this decision and keep these prisons in the public sector.