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Six prison closures in England announced Seven prison closures in England announced
(35 minutes later)
Six prisons in England are to be closed and three more will be partially shut, the Ministry of Justice has announced. Seven prisons are to close and two more will be partially shut in England.
It will result in the loss of 2,600 places in what the statement called "old and uneconomic" prisons and is expected to save £63m per year from the cost of running prisons. The Ministry of Justice said it would result in the loss of 2,600 places from "old and uneconomic" prisons and is expected to save £63m per year in running costs.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) says it also plans to build a new super prison with 2,000 places. It says it also plans to build a new super prison with 2,000 places.
It is set to be around 25% bigger than the existing largest facility.It is set to be around 25% bigger than the existing largest facility.
Britain's biggest prison would be in either London, north-west England or north Wales, the MoJ said. Britain's biggest prison would be in either London, north-west England or north Wales and a feasibility study is to begin.
It said a feasibility study is to begin. The seven prisons that are to close are Bullwood Hall in Essex, Canterbury, Gloucester, Kingston in Portsmouth, Shepton Mallet in Somerset and Shrewsbury, and Camp Hill on the Isle of Wight.
The six prisons that are to close are Bullwood Hall in Essex, Canterbury, Gloucester, Kingston in Portsmouth, Shepton Mallet in Somerset and Shrewsbury. Prisons in Chelmsford and Hull are also to be partially closed.
Prisons in Chelmsford, Hull and Isle of Wight are to be partially closed. The MoJ said six prisons were to close as it listed the Isle of Wight changes as a partial closure.
A written ministerial statement issued by the MoJ said: "Our strategy for the custodial estate is to ensure that we have sufficient places to meet the demand of the courts whilst securing best value for money for the taxpayer." It said: "Our strategy for the custodial estate is to ensure that we have sufficient places to meet the demand of the courts whilst securing best value for money for the taxpayer."
Custodial arrangements for women are to be reviewed and the results are expected by the summer.Custodial arrangements for women are to be reviewed and the results are expected by the summer.
The MoJ said women offenders have "particular needs" and facilities for females should be "organised as effectively as possible to meet gender specific requirements whilst also delivering best value for the public".The MoJ said women offenders have "particular needs" and facilities for females should be "organised as effectively as possible to meet gender specific requirements whilst also delivering best value for the public".
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said: "We have to bring down the cost of our prison system, much of which is old and expensive.Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said: "We have to bring down the cost of our prison system, much of which is old and expensive.
"But I never want the courts to be in a position where they cannot send a criminal to prison because there is no place available."But I never want the courts to be in a position where they cannot send a criminal to prison because there is no place available.
"So we have to move as fast as we can to replace the older parts of our prison system.""So we have to move as fast as we can to replace the older parts of our prison system."
'Discredited idea'
Commenting on the announcement, Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said closing prisons and reducing prison numbers "offers major social and economic gains".
However, she added: "It would be a gigantic mistake if the justice secretary were to revive the discredited idea of titans and pour taxpayers' money down the prison building drain, when the coalition government could invest in crime prevention, healthcare and community solutions to crime."
She also said small community prisons tend to be safer and better at reducing reoffending than large ones.
The BBC's Danny Shaw said the closures were the biggest for many years and would mean job losses among prison officers.The BBC's Danny Shaw said the closures were the biggest for many years and would mean job losses among prison officers.
Our correspondent said proposals for a super prison were at a very early stage and stressed that this was "a long way" from a new site being built.
In 2009, the previous Labour government scrapped its plans for three 2,500-place Titan prisons it had planned.
In addition to the super prison being considered, Mr Grayling unveiled plans for four new mini-prisons known as houseblocks.In addition to the super prison being considered, Mr Grayling unveiled plans for four new mini-prisons known as houseblocks.
Under the proposals, those would be built at existing prisons at Parc in south Wales, Peterborough in Cambridgeshire, the Mount in Hertfordshire, and Thameside in London.Under the proposals, those would be built at existing prisons at Parc in south Wales, Peterborough in Cambridgeshire, the Mount in Hertfordshire, and Thameside in London.
And, in total, they will be able to hold up to 1,260.And, in total, they will be able to hold up to 1,260.
The announcement comes just days after the government unveiled plans to allow private firms and charities to supervise low-risk offenders on probation in England and Wales.The announcement comes just days after the government unveiled plans to allow private firms and charities to supervise low-risk offenders on probation in England and Wales.