The Prime Minister has been blasted over the UK’s prison capacity crisis as almost 2,000 cells sit empty due to “uninstalled fire safety systems”.
Speaking to GB News, broadcaster Tim Vincent said the figure is “staggering” as Andy Burnham prepares to release thousands of prisoners early to free up space.
Some 1,800 cells are currently vacant as part of a programme to install necessary automatic fire detection (AFD) systems in all cells by 2027.
The work underway in sites across the UK has forced the authorities to decommission cells and move offenders.
The program comes amid Mr Burnham’s reforms of the controversial early release scheme, which from September will see those convicted of manslaughter, rape, GBH and sex offences among other crimes walk free from prison early.
Reacting to the figures, Mr Vincent told GB News that the number of empty cells is “staggering”.
He argued: “Thousands of prison cells are lying empty even though the Government is releasing criminals early to tackle overcrowding.
“1,800 places behind bars cannot be filled because of a pledge to install fire safety systems. It’s staggering really, isn’t it?”
Mr Vincent stressed that amid the Government’s focus on the early release scheme, it is sending out a “wider message” to potential criminals.
He said: “It’s not just the fact of getting them out early and there’s cells left, it’s actually sending out a wider statement to people that break the law, that they know they’re not going to go to prison in the first place.
“So here we have 1,800 cells below minimum standards, and the companies have gone bust that should have been doing this stuff.
“That’s now meant that there’s literally 1,800 cells that could have been used to house prisoners. And an entire jail, HMP Dartmoor is remaining mothballed, with 640 cells empty after unsafe levels of the natural gas radon were found.”
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Weighing in on the discussion, broadcaster Suzan Holder questioned why the Government is not focussing investment on bringing existing prison cells “up to standard” rather than prioritising early release.
She told GB News: “It must not be beyond the wit of somebody to bring them up to standard and to make those spaces available for what is the most important thing, which is getting dangerous people off the streets and into cells, which is where they belong and should stay?”
Host Sam Francis then asked: “It begs the question too, why the Government are pushing so much on this early release scheme? They could be investing time, effort, money into infrastructure”
Mrs Holder agreed, responding: “Yes, that’s where the effort and the money should go, absolutely.”
In a statement, a Ministry of Justice spokesman said: “We take the safety of our prisons extremely seriously and are carrying out these essential fire safety works as quickly as possible.
“This is part of our plan to ensure that we can put more dangerous criminals behind bars and the country never runs out of prison space again.”
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