Ministry of Justice launches new facilities management company
Enacting the government’s robust contingency plans, the Ministry of Justice has today (26 January) announced the creation of a new government owned facilities management company.
The new company will take over the delivery of the prison Facilities Management (FM) services previously provided by Carillion such as cleaning, reactive maintenance, landscaping and planned building repair work.
Around 1,000 staff, including 100 contractors, who were previously employed by Carillion will now move across to the new company, Gov Facility Services Limited, with their terms and conditions of employment preserved.
These services, which are provided to 52 prison establishments located across South West, South Central, Kent & Sussex, Greater London and East of England, will continue unaffected in the transfer.
Justice Secretary, David Gauke said:
We have robust contingency plans and are taking appropriate action to ensure that the prison FM services continue to operate normally.
I want to reassure staff that their jobs are secure and essential to making prisons safer and more decent.
Permanent Secretary, Richard Heaton said:
The Ministry of Justice’s (MOJ) priority is to ensure continuity of service. We are implementing our contingency plan for the prisons facilities management contracts held by Carillion.
This means the work that was undertaken by Carillion will move to a new government-owned company set up for this purpose. I’d like to thank all the Carillion staff who are moving across into the new company, and reassure them that their jobs are secure. The vital work they do to maintain and improve our prisons is greatly valued and appreciated.
The new company has already been created and will take responsibility for the prison FM services as soon as the formal transfer of staff has occurred.
FM is a critical service for Her Majesty’s Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS) and there is an ongoing need for a continuing service.
MOJ and HMPPS will work with all relevant stakeholders to ensure a stable service which retains skilled and knowledgeable staff working on the FM contracts.
The government has been clear that its priority is to ensure the smooth running of public services. Our robust contingency planning and preparations for the transition to Gov Facility Services Limited has meant there have so far not been any disruptions to prison maintenance.