A Tory frontbencher has blasted the Ministry of Justice for spending almost £2million a year on 'finding ways to claim prisons are racist'.
New figures show the department employs 20 staff in a 'disparities unit' to study diversity in jail and probation.
Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy, who uncovered the £1.7million annual spending, said the cash would be better spent on new prison places as Labour frees tens of thousands of criminals a year early from jail.
Prisons and probation minister Catherine McKinnell said the disparities unit employed an average of 20 full-time equivalent staff during the 12 months to the end of March.
But she was unable to provide details of whether spending had gone up or down.
'As this area of work underwent changes in scope and structure during the specified period, comparable figures for earlier years are not available,' she said.
The spending will raise fresh concerns over 'diversity, equality and inclusion' (DEI) policies in the civil service at a time when public spending is under intense scrutiny.
Tory MP Mr Timothy said: 'Taxpayers should not be forking out millions so that equality and diversity analysts can spend their time finding ways to claim that our prisons are racist.
A person leaves HMP Leeds on the first day of Labour's new prison release scheme at the beginning of October
'Prison is for punishment, deterrence, and keeping criminals off our streets, not for promoting DEI ideology.'
He added: 'At a time when Labour are releasing thousands of serious criminals back onto the streets, this money would be far better spent on increasing space within the prison estate and improving conditions for prison officers.
'Only the Conservatives have a plan to repeal the wasteful Public Sector Equality Duty and build 50,000 more prison places so that we can end Labour's early release scheme and ensure repeat and serious violent offenders are put behind bars.'
Internal MoJ documents show the role of the disparities unit was renamed and expanded under Labour in October 2024, with changes coming into force in January 2025.
The unit, based at HM Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS) headquarters, is intended to 'provide support and guidance to those responsible for oversight of Diversity and Inclusion in prisons and probation services', the papers say.
It is currently advertising the role of 'HMPPS disparities analyst' with a salary of up to £53,081 a year, depending on location.
Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy said the cash would be better spent on new prison places as Labour frees tens of thousands of criminals a year early from jail
The job advertisement asks: 'Do you have the passion, values, and ability to help us solve the biggest problems of the justice system?'
It goes on to state that the successful candidate will 'produce clear, quality-assured analysis that helps senior leaders, operational colleagues and policy teams understand disparities, identify their potential drivers and assess where further action may be required'.
Labour's new prison early release scheme, launched at the beginning of this month, is expected to free up to 50,000 prisoners a year.
But the Government is concealing the number of criminals freed under the programme, prompting accusations of a cover-up.
Its previous early release scheme set up two years ago has already let out more than 70,000 offenders so far.
The new scheme began on October 1 with 700 criminals let loose from jails across England and Wales, with those serving up to 19 months' imprisonment falling eligible.
Daily releases have continued since then.
From October 13 it was expanded to apply to more serious offenders handed sentences of up to 29 months.
Those serving even longer sentences will become eligible as the scheme is extended each month – with the tenth and final expansion, in early June, applying to those given sentences of 12 years or more.
The Conservatives have repeatedly warned the programme poses an 'acute threat' to public safety.
Prisoners previously due to serve 40 or 50 per cent of sentences handed down by the courts are now being freed after serving just 33 per cent.
As the scheme is rolled out in the coming months, criminals convicted of certain violent or sexual offences who were previously eligible for release two-thirds of the way through their sentence will instead be let out at the halfway stage.
A Prison Service spokesman said: 'This figure represents less than 0.1 per cent of HMPPS' overall budget and supports all our hardworking staff.'