Thousands of new prison spaces to be created

Four thousand new prison places will be created as part of plans to increase capacity, the government has announced.

In 2021, the government said 20,000 new prison places would be created by the middle of the decade.

Additional blocks have been announced for HMPs Bullingdon, Channings Wood, Elmley, Highpoint, Hindley, Wayland, Guys Marsh, High Down and Stocken.

HMPs Birmingham, Liverpool, Haverigg and YOIs in Feltham, Aylesbury and Swinfen Hall will also be refurbished.

Living conditions in several of the prisons, including HMPs Liverpool and Birmingham, have been criticised in the past, with accusations of ageing Victorian cells, cramped conditions and rat infestations.

Announcing the plans, justice secretary Dominic Raab said the expansion of prison places would "punish offenders, deter crime and protect the public".

"We are also overhauling the prison regime, using prison design, in cell technology, abstinence-based drug rehabilitation and work to drive down reoffending," he added.

Eight prisons will received new house-blocks and HMP High Down in Surrey will be expanded to incorporate a new workshop.

The government said new workshops and classrooms would enable prisoners to get work experience and training to help them find employment upon release.

However the Liberal Democrats branded the announcement "the cost of the Conservatives' failure on crime".

"The UK already has more people in prison than any other country in Western Europe, and now the government is spending an extra £4bn because crime is rising," the party's home affairs spokesperson, Alistair Carmichael, said.

"Just building more prison cells won't do anything to make our communities safer. Instead of trying to sound tough, ministers should focus on restoring effective community policing where officers are visible, trusted and focused on cutting crime."

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