£3.6m paid out in prisoner wages

By Johnny Caldwell
BBC News

Northern Ireland's prison population currently stands at around 1,000

Prisoners in Northern Ireland were paid £850,000 in wages in the last financial year, figures obtained by BBC News have revealed.

Some prisoners earned more than £1,000 between April 2007 and April 2008.

Over the past five years, £3.64m has been paid to inmates for chores in Northern Ireland's three prisons.

"Bonus payments will be made for additional/extra work undertaken by individuals or groups when required," said a prison service spokesman.

"The facility is available for prisoners to send money out of the prison and any monies within their prisoner private cash account is taken out of the prison when the prisoner is released."

Weekly wages for inmates in Northern Ireland, of which there there are about 1,000, range between nothing and £20, depending on his or her status.

Enhanced

Some inmates on remand may not receive a wage, while those who have gained "enhanced employment status" receive £20 a week.

However, the prison service highlighted that "deductions are made for the rental of a TV - £1 per week".

The total paid out in wages to prisoners in Northern Ireland over the last five financial years has increased steadily from £562,641 in 2003/04 to £847,289 in 2007/2008.