Sadiq Khan MP, Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary, commenting on the on-going crisis in prison numbers, said:

“Another week, another rise in the prison numbers and another week of silence from ministers. We have heard virtually nothing from them during the growing crisis in our prisons. With prisons in the danger zone at over 99 per cent full, this is either incompetence, complacency or both.

“David Cameron’s out-of-touch Government has plans to close more prisons between now and next spring. With only 720 places left in total Ministers’ recklessness could result in nowhere left to house serious and violent criminals.”