National claims more than $5 million in prisoner compensation claims are in the pipeline.

MP Simon Power says latest figures show Corrections received $1 million in new claims against it last year, taking the total of outstanding claims past $5 million.

Four hundred thousand dollars was spent on defending claims from inmates and staff.

Mr Power says National repeatedly warned the Government this would happen. He says prisoners have a right to justice but not to monetary compensation.

Simon Power says the Prisoner Compo Act has been a disaster from beginning to end.