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Plans unveiled to overhaul prisons system in 'crisis' Prison shake-up announced to deal with overcrowding
(32 minutes later)
The new legislation will not apply to the most serious criminals, the justice secretary saidThe new legislation will not apply to the most serious criminals, the justice secretary said
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced limits on how long some offenders can be returned to prison, under plans to ease prison overcrowding. Limits will be brought in on how long some offenders can be returned to prison, in a bid to stop jails in England and Wales running out of space, the justice secretary has said.
Under the shake-up, offenders recalled for breaching their licences will be released after a fixed 28-day period. Shabana Mahmood said a £4.7bn investment would fund more prisons, but said it would not be possible to "build our way out of this crisis".
The change is intended to bypass lengthy waits for a parole board assessment before they can be released again. A senior Ministry of Justice official said the government would "run out of prison places in just five months' time" if action was not taken.
Mahmood warned that despite promised new prisons, it would not be possible to "build our way out of this crisis". Under the shake-up, offenders recalled to prison, for breaching their licences will be released after a fixed 28-day period in England and Wales.
She said the change would not apply to those who commit a serious further offence – or are deemed to pose a high risk. Mahmood said the move would free up around 1,400 prison places and buy ministers time to overhaul a system "on the brink of collapse".
She announced that work would start on three new prisons later this year, but the government currently faced running out of spaces for male offenders by November. She warned that despite plans to start work on three prisons this year, it would not be possible to "build our way out of this crisis" and the government otherwise faced running out of spaces for male offenders by November.
She said the latest prison-building initiative would be funded by a capital investment of £4.7bn.
Changes from an upcoming review of sentencing, led by former Conservative minister David Gauke, were only likely to be felt from spring next year, she added.Changes from an upcoming review of sentencing, led by former Conservative minister David Gauke, were only likely to be felt from spring next year, she added.
The prison population is 88,087 from a useable operational capacity 89,442, according to the latest official weekly figures.The prison population is 88,087 from a useable operational capacity 89,442, according to the latest official weekly figures.
It is estimated to increase to between 95,700 and 105,200 by March 2029, according to a government analysis released last year.It is estimated to increase to between 95,700 and 105,200 by March 2029, according to a government analysis released last year.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version. The changes announced on Wednesday would apply to offenders with sentences between one and four years, who have been released after serving their minimum period but recalled for breaching their terms of their licence.
You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts. Mahmood said the change would not apply to those who commit a serious further offence – or are deemed to pose a high risk.
The chairman of the Prison Officers Association (POA) said building new prisons will "not improve the current population crisis".
"The government would be better off spending billions of taxpayers' money on modernising the prison estate, funding an under-resourced probation service, providing more secure mental health beds and ensuring we have robust community sentences that the public have confidence in," Mark Fairhurst said.