Sadiq Khan MP, Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary, commenting on reports in today’s Independent on Sunday that a shortage in prison space has forced the Government to have to buy in space from private prisons, said:

“Prisons numbers have risen while David Cameron has closed down too many prisons leaving the system on the brink of a crisis. All this time ministers have denied there are any problems, but now it turns out they’ve had to fork out for expensive extra capacity at added cost to the taxpayer from the companies running private prisons.

“It is the number one duty for any Justice Secretary to have enough space to lock up criminals and Chris Grayling’s proven himself incompetent with this self-inflicted crisis.”