THE Chief Inspector of Prisons was accused of “playing fast and loose with staff and prisoner safety” today following an unannounced inspection at HMP Whitemoor.

The Prison Officers’ Association (POA) said that it was “dismayed” about Charlie Taylor criticising the jail’s “approach to determining the number of staff required to unlock prisoners” as “inflexible” and limiting “delivery of the regime.”

The union declared its members’ health and safety as “non-negotiable and no amount of idiotic comments from the chief inspector will change this union’s opinion on this.”

POA general secretary Steve Gillan said: “It is frightening to think that the Chief Inspector of Prisons would play fast and loose with staff and prisoner safety given this is a high-risk environment and staffing needs to be correct to maintain control and order.”

The association’s national chairman, Mark Fairhurst, said: “Staff at Whitemoor deserve credit for keeping control in one of the country’s most dangerous prisons. 

“They have proven that unlocking smaller cohorts of prisoners with proper staffing has clearly reduced violence and improved stability. 

“It’s regrettable that an out‑of‑touch Chief Inspector of Prisons refuses to recognise this success, clinging instead to a blanket push for more time out of cell that only fuels disorder.”

The unannounced inspection took place last October.

A summary of Mr Taylor’s report said: “Whitemoor was doing a difficult job reasonably well but leaders needed to address some significant issues. 

“The daily routine was inadequate; prisoners could not get to education, drug testing or hospital appointments consistently.

“There were not enough places in education, skills and work, and attendance was poor. The lack of purposeful activity made it difficult for prisoners to demonstrate progress.”