Funding for new prisons to create 10,000 extra places

Up to £2.5 billion will be spent on building new efficient prisons, creating 10,000 extra places to reduce overcrowding.

The first new prison will be built at HMP Full Sutton, alongside the maximum-security jail in operation at the site.

The 10,000 places will be in addition to the new prisons that have already been announced, at Wellingborough and Glen Parva, which will provide 3,360 places by 2023.

The new funding will also be used to bring previously decommissioned prison places back into use through extensive refurbishment and maintenance work.

The long-term building programme will reduce overcrowding and create a modern, efficient estate that is sustainable into the future.

Ageing prisons are expensive to run and maintain, and are less effective at promoting rehabilitation and ultimately cutting crime.

Justice Secretary, Rt Hon Robert Buckland QC MP, said: "The Prime Minister is putting prisons at the heart of our bold plan to create a justice system which cuts crime and protects law-abiding people. More and better prison places means less re-offending and a lower burden on the taxpayer in the future.

"Boris’s vision for policing shows this Government is serious about fighting crime.  It is vital we have a world-leading prison estate to keep criminals off our streets and turn them into law-abiding citizens when they have paid their debt to society.

"Modern jails are best-placed to achieve that and will provide us with crucial stability in our prison estate for many years to come so we can keep criminals behind bars, rehabilitate them, and better protect the public."