Penny-pinching inmates unhappy about their shop

Concerns about the shopping and culinary arrangements at HMP Wolds in East Yorkshire are revealed in a report published today by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Dame Anne Owers.

The report said: "The menu was repetitive and did not reflect the cultural diversity of the prisoners held.

"..Prisoners complained about the price of shop goods, and the range for black and minority ethnic prisoners was poor."

But Philip Davies, the Tory MP for Shipley, said inmates at the Wolds should not expect any sympathy.

"If they want a full and wide range of choice in their shopping and food, which most people have, they should not commit the crimes that have put them in prison," he said.

"The solution is in their own hands; don't commit crime. If they want any sympathy from me they are going to be disappointed."

Prison food has become something of a hot potato after a young offenders institution in in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, was found to be wasting thousands of pounds of public money because of Government-imposed centralised contracts which prevented catering staff using money-saving initiatives.

In total, prisoners at the Wolds submitted 1,108 formal complaints in the six months before the inspection. Only 28 per cent of prisoners said complaints were dealt with fairly.