Downing Street Says » Prison Places

» Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Prison Places

Asked if the Prime Minister was dismayed by statistics showing that the number of nights in which prisoners had been held in police cells rather than prisons had risen from 4,600 last year to well over 60,00 in 2007, the PMS replied that obviously we were aware of the statistics put out today by the Ministry of Justice reflecting the use of Operation Safeguard, using police cells as prison accommodation. This was something that was being actively looked at the moment by the National Offender Management Service. However the PMS reminded journalists that Lord Carter had published his report before Christmas setting out the Government’s plans for building new Titan prisons and other large expansions to prison accommodation capacity over the next few years, which we obviously hoped would alleviate the current situation.

Asked what the Government’s contingency plan was for dealing with a mass walkout of the Prison Service, and would they look to call on the police, the PMS replied that any operational matter like that would be dealt with should that become necessary. Jack Straw set out in his statement yesterday the measures we were putting in place to ensure continuity in the Prison Service and public safety.

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