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Straw scraps Titan prisons plan Straw scraps Titan prisons plan
(10 minutes later)
Plans for three 2,500-place Titan prisons have been scrapped, Justice Secretary Jack Straw has confirmed.Plans for three 2,500-place Titan prisons have been scrapped, Justice Secretary Jack Straw has confirmed.
Mr Straw told MPs in the Commons that five new 1,500-capacity jails would be built instead. Mr Straw told MPs in the Commons that five "modern, purpose-built" 1,500-capacity jails would be built instead.
In December 2007, the government announced that it planned to build three giant prisons at a cost of about £350m each. In December 2007, the government announced plans to build the three Titan jails at a cost of £350m each.
Shadow justice secretary Dominic Grieve welcomed the announcement but regretted that the decision had been leaked. Shadow justice secretary Dominic Grieve welcomed the "u-turn" by the government but said plans for "giant warehouses" had been flawed from the start.
He also regretted that the decision had been leaked in advance.
'Secure and effective'
Mr Straw said the first two of the new 1,500 capacity jails will be at Beam Park West in East London, and at Chelmsford in Essex - both of which will be privately run.Mr Straw said the first two of the new 1,500 capacity jails will be at Beam Park West in East London, and at Chelmsford in Essex - both of which will be privately run.
In addition there will be sites at Belmarsh in South East London, the former RAF base at Coltishall in Norfolk, and at Maghull on Merseyside.In addition there will be sites at Belmarsh in South East London, the former RAF base at Coltishall in Norfolk, and at Maghull on Merseyside.
Little Hey Prison in Cambridgeshire will also be expanded.Little Hey Prison in Cambridgeshire will also be expanded.
"These new prisons will be neither Victorian replicas nor large warehouses," Mr Straw said.
"They will be safe, secure and effective in helping prisoners deal with their offending and develop the work, education and life skills which they need to turn their lives around."