Jo Stevens MP, Labour’s Shadow Prisons Minister, responding to figures showing a surge in violence in prisons and probation services are failing to meet their targets, said:

“The figures released today show the absolutely unacceptable state of our prison and probation system in England and Wales. Neither prison staff nor prisoners are safe. Fifteen assaults on prison staff every single day cannot continue. Prisoner suicides have increased and the number of people who’ve been accidentally released from prison is at a six year high.

“If that weren’t bad enough, probation service is creaking at the seams. The Tories’ privatisation has been a predictable disaster.

“The Conservatives have had six years in power, but all they’ve done is cut the Ministry of Justice budget to the bone and presided over a growing crisis in prisons and probation.

“Rather than the empty rhetoric of the past, we now need to see concrete action from the Government to tackle the chaos that has developed on their watch.”