68 Is Too Late report by the Prison Officers' Association

That this House welcomes the publication of the 68 Is Too Late report by the Prison Officers' Association (POA) union, based on its survey of members about the pension age of prison officers, which received the largest response to any member consultation the union has undertaken; notes that the 68 Is Too Late report is part of a campaign to end the injustice of prison officers being required to work until the age of 68, while other uniformed services such as the police, fire service and armed forces have a normal pension age of 60 or under; agrees with the 99% of prison officers surveyed who call on the UK and devolved governments to enter into talks with the POA over providing prison officers with the option to access their pension at 60 with no financial detriment; believes that expecting prison officers to work until almost 70 years of age at a time when the prisoner population is rising, the average age of a prisoner is mid-thirties, violence is increasing and the influence of organised crime is expanding is both dangerous and unrealistic; further believes that a retirement age of 68 risks the safety of prisoners and prison officers, and that for successful rehabilitation prisons rely on well-trained, motivated and confident officers working in safe and fully staffed establishments; and calls on the Government to negotiate in good faith with the POA to end this pension injustice for prison officers.