Gordon Brown says plans to build new huge so-called "Titan" prisons "will go ahead... after consultation", rejecting suggestions in the Commons of a U-turn.
Gordon Brown says plans to build new huge so-called "Titan" prisons "will go ahead... after consultation", rejecting suggestions in the Commons of a u-turn.
Justice Secretary Jack Straw had earlier raised doubts over plans for new 2,500-place prisons in England.
Justice Secretary Jack Straw had earlier raised doubts over plans for new 2,500-place prisons in England.
"We haven't got planning permission for these places. We are not definitely going ahead with them," Mr Straw said.
"We haven't got planning permission for these places. We are not definitely going ahead with them," Mr Straw said.
He spoke as Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne Owers criticised the plans and said the system was at breaking point.
Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne Owers criticised the plans. The Tories accused the government of a "u-turn".
She said a building programme should not supersede re-offending schemes, reform of women's jails, probation and mental health.
Mr Straw announced plans for more prisons, including three "Titan" super jails, housing 2,500 inmates each, in December.
She says disaster from overcrowding has only been staved off because of expensive emergency measures and the crisis in prison numbers had been "predicated and predictable".
'Get a grip'
Planning permission issue
However, he cast doubt on the scheme during an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Wednesday when he talked about the lack of planning permission.
In her annual report, Ms Owers said the prison system was struggling to cope with population pressures and was at a "crossroads".
He added: "We're not going to have large warehouses as they have in the United States and indeed France."
During 2007 the prison population hit a record high of more than 81,000, and that figure is predicted to carry on growing.
The public remains in the dark about whether Titan prisons will go ahead Nick HerbertShadow justice secretary
We are not definitely going ahead with them Jack StrawJustice Secretary
But just hours later at prime minister's question time, Mr Brown appeared to counter that suggestion by saying the scheme "will go ahead" following consultation.
The government is running a special emergency early release scheme to ease pressures on cell places. It is also using police cells for hundreds of inmates a week.
Tory shadow justice secretary Nick Herbert said the government had "u-turned twice on Titan prisons within the space of five hours".
Ministers had announced plans for more prisons, including three "Titan" super jails, housing 2,500 inmates each.
"The public remains in the dark about whether Titan prisons will go ahead or how much they will cost," he said.
However, Mr Straw admitted there was doubt over the scheme.
"The government shows a complete lack of grip on criminal justice policy."
"We haven't got planning permission for these places. We are not definitely going ahead with them," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Ms Owers, who warned the prisons system was at breaking point, said she did not think "prison building should be driving our prison policy".
"We're not going to have large warehouses as they have in the United States and indeed France."
Self-inflicted deaths
Ms Owers said she did not think "prison building should be driving our prison policy".
Resources needed to be freed up to support people after jail and to "prevent people getting there in the first place", she said.
The risk is that we will move towards large-scale penal containment, spending more to accomplish less, losing hard-won gains and stifling innovation Anne Owers, Chief Inspector of Prisons
The risk is that we will move towards large-scale penal containment, spending more to accomplish less, losing hard-won gains and stifling innovation Anne Owers, Chief Inspector of Prisons
Resources needed to be freed up to support people after jail and to "prevent people getting there in the first place", she said.
"We also need effective prisons and if we look across the Channel we see the French who built one of these kinds of prisons in the 1980s and have never done so again.
"We also need effective prisons and if we look across the Channel we see the French who built one of these kinds of prisons in the 1980s and have never done so again.
"We do need to learn from evidence."
"We do need to learn from evidence."
She said prisons were struggling to cope with population pressures and were at a "crossroads".
During 2007 the prison population hit a record high of more than 81,000, and that figure is predicted to carry on growing.
'Feeling the strain'
While Ms Owers' report praises work in healthcare, education and managing offenders, she said these gains were at risk because of the overcrowding across England and Wales.
While Ms Owers' report praises work in healthcare, education and managing offenders, she said these gains were at risk because of the overcrowding across England and Wales.
She said figures showed there had been 40% more self-inflicted deaths over the year - particularly at the critical stage of reception.
She said figures showed there had been 40% more self-inflicted deaths over the year - particularly at the critical stage of reception.
The government's use of police cells to house some prisoners was undermining work to cut suicides, she said.
The government's use of police cells to house some prisoners was undermining work to cut suicides, she said.
'Feeling the strain'
"During the reporting year, the prison population went from one all-time high to another, staving off disaster only by a series of short-term, often expensive, emergency measures, together with the crisis management skills of those working within the prison system," she said.
"During the reporting year, the prison population went from one all-time high to another, staving off disaster only by a series of short-term, often expensive, emergency measures, together with the crisis management skills of those working within the prison system," she said.
"Training prisons, as well as local prisons, felt the strain, with more suicides, poorer resettlement outcomes and in many cases insufficient activity.
"Training prisons, as well as local prisons, felt the strain, with more suicides, poorer resettlement outcomes and in many cases insufficient activity.
"The management and use of indeterminate sentences continued to strand those prisoners in inappropriate prisons, and drive up the population.
"The management and use of indeterminate sentences continued to strand those prisoners in inappropriate prisons, and drive up the population.
"Even male juvenile prisons - the best-resourced male establishments - performed less well as a whole than those we inspected the previous year."
"Even male juvenile prisons - the best-resourced male establishments - performed less well as a whole than those we inspected the previous year."
Ms Owers warned a planned 3% cut in the prisons budget from April would "effectively close prisons down" from Friday lunchtime to Monday morning.
Early release?
Early release?
Ms Owers warned a planned 3% cut in the prisons budget from April would "effectively close prisons down" from Friday lunchtime to Monday morning.
"Our prison system is at a crossroads," she said. "There are signs of a more effective and measured approach to policy and strategy, some new initiatives, and plenty of good operational practice to build on.
"Our prison system is at a crossroads," she said. "There are signs of a more effective and measured approach to policy and strategy, some new initiatives, and plenty of good operational practice to build on.
"But, on the other hand, the risk is that we will move towards large-scale penal containment, spending more to accomplish less, losing hard-won gains and stifling innovation."
"But, on the other hand, the risk is that we will move towards large-scale penal containment, spending more to accomplish less, losing hard-won gains and stifling innovation."
We must get people with mental health or drug problems out of prison and into treatment Nick CleggLib Dem leader
We must get people with mental health or drug problems out of prison and into treatment Nick CleggLib Dem leader
However, Mr Straw said under Labour crime has fallen and the number of prison places provided has risen by 20,000.
However, Mr Straw said under Labour crime has fallen and the number of prison places provided has risen by 20,000.
There are currently 1,200 spare places, with an additional 1,000 coming on stream in April and 2,600 during 2008.
There are currently 1,200 spare places, with an additional 1,000 coming on stream in April and 2,600 during 2008.
Mr Straw said overcrowding was "a problem", but he denied this would automatically lead to the early release of prisoners.
Mr Straw said overcrowding was "a problem", but he denied this would automatically lead to the early release of prisoners
"I sincerely hope not," he said, adding: "You can never ever completely rule these things out."
However, he added: "You can never ever completely rule these things out."
Tory shadow justice secretary Nick Herbert said the report was "a powerful indictment of the government's mismanagement of our prisons and it should shame ministers".
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said: "This breathtaking report shows Britain's prisons are on the brink of disaster.
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said: "This breathtaking report shows Britain's prisons are on the brink of disaster.
"This isn't a problem we can simply build our way out of...Instead we must get people with mental health or drug problems out of prison and into treatment."
"This isn't a problem we can simply build our way out of...Instead we must get people with mental health or drug problems out of prison and into treatment."
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Do you work in the prison service or have served a sentence in prison? What's your reaction to this story? Send us your comments by filling out the form below.
