Ministers dismiss claim UK government may rent prison space in Estonia | Prisons and probation

Ministers have dismissed claims that Labour is contemplating sending criminals convicted in England and Wales to Estonia to serve their jail sentences.

The Telegraph reported that the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) was investigating “all viable choices” to extend capability after the Baltic state mentioned it had provided to lease out spare capability to different international locations.

Citing authorities sources, the newspaper mentioned the answer was “on the desk” after males’s prisons in England and Wales nearly ran out of cells final month with 83 spare areas.

On Friday afternoon, a spokesperson for the MoJ, which oversees the jail property, mentioned that the plan was assessed by the final authorities and carries “appreciable” and “vital” prices.

“The brand new authorities inherited a justice system in disaster, with prisons on the purpose of collapse,” an announcement mentioned. “Whereas we’re contemplating all sensible choices to extend jail capability and maintain the general public protected, there aren’t any plans to introduce this measure.”

Earlier, Downing Avenue had additionally distanced itself from experiences. A No 10 spokesperson mentioned renting jail cells in Estonia had been the coverage of the earlier authorities and present ministers had made “no such plans or announcement with regard to Estonia”.

They added: “Extra broadly, we might all the time have a look at choices which might be sensible and ship worth for cash for the taxpayer.”

In an overhaul of the prison justice system, Labour is planning to construct extra prisons in the long run. Shabana Mahmood, the justice secretary, has additionally determined to undertake an pressing unbiased overview of sentencing laws and apply.

Official figures printed on Friday confirmed that the jail inhabitants had reached a document excessive, with 88,521 individuals behind bars, 171 greater than the earlier document set on the finish of final week.The Telegraph reported that Estonia’s low crime fee had left its prisons half empty, prompting hopes that criminals convicted in England and Wales may present a €30m (£25m) increase to the nation’s public funds.

Mahmood and Liisa Pakosta, her Estonian counterpart, have been anticipated to debate jail leasing on the sidelines of a Council of Europe occasion in Vilnius, Lithuania, it was claimed.

Pakosta informed the Telegraph: “The UK and Estonia have a historical past of profitable worldwide cooperation, and such a partnership would create additional alternatives to profit and be taught from one another.”

Sending offenders to Estonia was first proposed by Alex Chalk, the previous justice secretary, finally yr’s Conservative convention. Labour criticised the concept on the time for instance of Tory incompetence and underinvestment, whereas the Jail Reform Belief known as it “half-baked”.

The variety of individuals in jail in England and Wales has risen from about 40,000 in 1991 to greater than 88,000, with a rise of greater than 1,000 over the previous 4 weeks.

Subsequent week, about 1,500 persons are resulting from be launched from jail beneath an emergency measure that reduces from 50% to 40% the proportion of custodial sentences to be served in jail for some.

The SDS40 scheme, which can free 5,500 prisoners throughout two months, will probably be launched on 10 September for these serving sentences of 5 years or much less. A second class of prisoners – those that have served sentences of 5 years or extra – will probably be launched on 22 October.