Prisoners may have to pay victims

PLANS to make prisoners pay reparations to their victims out of their wages could be adopted in Scotland if it proves successful south of the Border.

UK government officials are exploring ways of enacting dormant legislation which would allow them to make deductions from inmates' wages and a proposal is expected to be announced at the Conservative Party conference, in Birmingham, next week.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "The government believes that offenders should make reparations to victims and society for the harm they have caused and, as part of this, we are exploring how we might use the Prisoners' Earnings Act 1996 to allow us to make deductions from prisoners earning enhanced wages.

"These deductions would be paid into a fund, which would provide support for victims of crime."

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "Funding of support for victims of crime is on a different basis in Scotland, compared to England and Wales.

Nonetheless, if there are any lessons that can be learned from this proposal we will consider the practicalities of adopting a similar approach in Scotland."