Government’s “Breath-taking Incompetence” Sees Prisons System Run out of Space

Labour is accusing the Government of “breathtaking incompetence” as the prisons system runs desperately short of space on their watch.

Figures released today by the Ministry of Justice reveal that the Government might be forced to put the prisons system on an emergency footing because they’ve run out of space to house criminals. The prison population in England and Wales is now 84, 987- meaning jails are running at 99.02 per cent of capacity.

Labour is demanding reassurances from the Government that public safety won’t be compromised if there is no more room in the prisons system for serious and dangerous criminals.


Shadow Justice Secretary Sadiq Khan is accusing the Government of ignoring his warnings that their policy of closing down too many prisons, too fast risked a crisis in capacity. Over the past thre years, Sadiq has repeatedly warned of a shortage in prisons places.


Since May 2010, the Government have closed 13 prisons and cut 4,500 places, yet all their talk of new prisons won’t materialise for many years down the line. This Government’s recklessness also saw them cancel Labour’s measured prison building programme back in 2010.


As a result, the emergency ‘Operation Safeguard’ system risks being implemented, which would see court and police station cells but on standby to house offenders because there’s no space left in prisons.


This Government have:

·         Closed 13 prisons and part closed another three with the loss of 4,500 places;

·         Seen capacity fall by over 5,000 places in the last year, yet prison numbers have steadily increased over the past couple of months;

·         Announced another four prisons – with the loss of another 1,400 places – are due to close by the spring 2014;

·         Failed to start work on building any new prisons since May 2010.

With prisons more overcrowded than ever, staff more over-stretched than ever, and prisoners spending as long as ever locked in their cells, this Government’s so-called rehabilitation revolution is just hot air.

Sadiq Khan MP, Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary said:

 
“Making sure there are enough spaces in our prisons for all those that need locking up is one of the basics of the job for any Justice Secretary. The public need confidence that when a judge sends someone down for a serious or violent crime, they can be locked away securely.

“I have been warning about the risk of prison places running out for three years now. You need to ensure you enough places before you close down prisons. It is basic. It gives me no pleasure saying ‘I told you so’

“By failing in one of his most basic tasks as Justice Secretary, Chris Grayling has shown he is not up to the job. His breath-taking incompetence is on show for all to see. Instead of spending his time obsessing about Europe, daydreaming about becoming Home Secretary, he should have listened to those warning him there was a crisis coming.

“David Cameron’s out of touch government are playing fast and loose with public safety. Closing down prisons left, right and centre shows no regard whatsoever to how criminals will be securely housed.


“The Government needs to explain where serious and violent criminals will go if there’s no space left in prisons. The public deserve to know that this Government isn’t putting the safety of their local communities at risk because of their incompetence.”