Rutland and Melton MP Alicia Kearns visited HMP Stocken this week to discuss measures the Government can introduce to better support prison officers.

Mrs Kearn's visit was almost a month to the day after a riot broke out on Mike Wing of the category C closed training prison.

A prison officer was attacked from behind by an inmate wielding a pool ball in a sock during the incident on 18 January and was treated in hospital for concussion.

Tornado teams - specialist tactical response teams called in for prison riots - regained control in the early hours of the following morning and 18 prisoners were transferred to other establishments.

Following the incident Mrs Kearns expressed her concerns in Parliament that, despite guidelines stipulating that sentences for attacking prison staff should be served consecutively with prisoners' other offences, they are often served concurrently.

During her visit to HMP Stocken on Monday (17 Feb), Mrs Kearns met and spoke to several department heads who were keen to share their views on how prison officers could be better supported.

She also met prisoners who are veterans of the Armed Forces Programme when she visited the prison's new Veterans' Wing.

Mrs Kearns said: "The [leadership] team work tirelessly to improve the support and opportunities available to prisoners and this must be recognised with robust support for our prison officers in return.

"Too often the work of prison officers is unknown to the public as it takes place behind the wire, but every day prison officers make our communities safer.

"One step in achieving this is to end the trend of concurrent sentences being handed out for attacking prison officers and I will continue to champion this in Parliament."

HMP Stocken's Governor Neil Thomas said: "HMP Stocken was delighted to welcome our newly-elected MP for Rutland and Melton Alicia Kearns to the prison.

"Alicia took time to meet with prison staff on the wings and hear about the important role they play in protecting the public and changing lives.

"All were left impressed by her knowledge, fortitude and compassion."