Government U-turns after 1,000 cell plan to tackle prison overcrowding was quietly cut in half

The Government has been forced to U-turn on a plan to tackle prison overcrowding only months after cutting a new cells target in half.

According to Whitehall sources, the Government has reheated plans made in 2020 to build 1,000 “Rapid Deployment Cells” following overcrowding pressure in prisons. The policy had been reduced to 480 new cells in April last year following attempts to reduce spending.

Rapid deployment cells serve as a quick-build alternative to new prisons in order to reduce overcrowding and the Ministry of Justice told i that it aims for the cells to be delivered by 2024.

They were first announced as part of Government infrastructure plans under former prime minister Boris Johnson, with 1,000 cells to be introduced in 2020 as part of the former PM’s “Build, Build, Build” pledge.

But the project stalled and , according to a letter dated from last April and seen by i, the target was reduced to 480 new cells resulting from increased costs and pressure on the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) from the Spending Review.

Since then, pressure has continued to build on prisons as overcrowding has worsened. In November, the MOJ requested the urgent use of 400 prison cells, with more than 82,839 inmates in prisons across England and Wales, compared with 79,685 at the same point in 2021, the Guardian reported at the time.

Prisons Minister Damian Hinds blamed overcrowding and the urgent request on strikes carried out by barristers belonging to the Criminal Bar Association.

He said: “In recent months we have experienced an acute and sudden increase in the prison population, in part due to the aftermath of the Criminal Bar Association strike action over the summer, which led to a significantly higher number of offenders on remand.

“With court hearings resuming, we are seeing a surge in offenders coming through the criminal justice system, placing capacity pressure on adult male prisons in particular.”

One barrister told i that in light of the new commitment to open 1,000 new cells, Mr Hinds’ November comments were “laughable”.

“The issue of prison overcrowding has existed for years,” they said. “The situation worsened during Covid, with prisoners locked up for 23 hours a day and a lack of trials. It should have alerted the Government about how prison capacity was only going to get worse.”

As well as the 1,000 rapid cells being built, the MOJ says it is creating further cells at Birmingham, Liverpool and Norwich prisons as part of refurbishment plans.

But in response to the plan, Shadow Justice Secretary Steve Reed accused the Government of “grinding our prisons system into the ground”.

He told i: “After taking out 10,000 prison places since 2010, Dominic Raab has now been forced to U-turn on building more prison cells.

“Labour are the party of law and order. In government, Labour will put more neighbourhood police on the streets, give victims a bigger say, and deliver a justice system that prevents crime, punishes criminals and protects victims.”

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “Work has already begun to deliver the 1,000 rapid deployment cells we promised in 2021, and we aim to deliver them all by early 2024.

“Keeping the public safe and cutting crime by taking and keeping dangerous criminals off the streets remains our number one priority. These cells will ensure that we can continue to do this.”