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| Police cells used for new inmates | Police cells used for new inmates |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Some new prisoners are being held in police cells as jails in England and Wales approach full capacity, the Home Office has confirmed. | Some new prisoners are being held in police cells as jails in England and Wales approach full capacity, the Home Office has confirmed. |
| A spokeswoman said Operation Safeguard came into force last Saturday as the prison population neared 80,000. | |
| Home Secretary John Reid accepted the move was "necessary and pragmatic", she said. But the Conservatives labelled it a "short-term and costly measure". | Home Secretary John Reid accepted the move was "necessary and pragmatic", she said. But the Conservatives labelled it a "short-term and costly measure". |
| Nineteen police forces have initially made about 240 cells available. | Nineteen police forces have initially made about 240 cells available. |
| There were 47 prisoners being held in police cells as part of the operation on Friday. | There were 47 prisoners being held in police cells as part of the operation on Friday. |
| 'Operational judgement' | 'Operational judgement' |
| The jail population has now reached 79,714 - still 65 below the all-time high of two weeks ago. | The jail population has now reached 79,714 - still 65 below the all-time high of two weeks ago. |
| But using police cells became necessary last weekend because jails in some parts of the country have been more badly affected than others. | But using police cells became necessary last weekend because jails in some parts of the country have been more badly affected than others. |
| We have only had to resort to it because of the government's utter failure David DavisShadow home secretary | We have only had to resort to it because of the government's utter failure David DavisShadow home secretary |
| The Home Office spokeswoman said there was potential for 520 police cells to be used during October and November if they were needed. | The Home Office spokeswoman said there was potential for 520 police cells to be used during October and November if they were needed. |
| "The number of cells has been agreed with chief constables, who have used their operational judgment as to how many cells they can staff and make available." | "The number of cells has been agreed with chief constables, who have used their operational judgment as to how many cells they can staff and make available." |
| The measures would help to "manage the short-term pressures on the prison population" and would be kept under close review, she said. | The measures would help to "manage the short-term pressures on the prison population" and would be kept under close review, she said. |
| But shadow home secretary David Davis said the measures would only buy the government a few weeks and would "place even more burdens on our police". | But shadow home secretary David Davis said the measures would only buy the government a few weeks and would "place even more burdens on our police". |
| "We have only had to resort to it because of the government's utter failure to address the chronic lack of capacity in our prisons." | "We have only had to resort to it because of the government's utter failure to address the chronic lack of capacity in our prisons." |