Prison cells sit empty because of fire risk as PM proposes putting male inmates in female jails

Regulators have highlighted some 1,800 cells as part of the programme to install necessary automatic fire detection (AFD) systems in all cells by 2027.

Despite the work, nearly 20,000 prison cells still need upgrades to meet the goal, according to the Telegraph’s investigation.

Prison overcrowding has forced Andy Burnham into one of his most bitter rows since becoming Prime Minister.

Mr Burnham ordered his Justice Secretary to draw up plans to prevent the early release of PC Andrew Harper’s killers.

The Prime Minister, despite admitting defeat over the matter earlier today, is said to be “increasingly confident” that a “solution” can be worked out.

The release of prisoners in September includes prisoners convicted of manslaughter, rape, GBH and sex offences – who will be eligible for release just halfway through the sentences.

Prisoners will be first evaluated on behaviour and will be deemed ineligible for release if they have committed any serious rule breaches behind bars.

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Criminals convicted of burglary, theft, assault and repeated shoplifting could be freed after serving only a third of their sentence, rather than the current 40 per cent benchmark.

A first set of 700 prisoners will be released in September, with a similar number of criminals freed for each of the next nine months in a staggered release plan.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has said the move is necessary in order to combat overflowing prison populations.

Mark Fairhurst, the chairman of the Prison Officers’ Association, told The Telegraph he suspected that prison chiefs would “postpone” some of the work and bring cells earmarked for fire safety work into use.

He added: “They have that option. The issue is the safety of the person occupying that cell that has been identified as an imminent fire risk.”

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The Prime Minister is said to have made “greater use of the entire prison estate, including using the female estate for male offenders”, directing Justice Secretary Alex Norris to rapidly fast-track a new legislative proposal.

Women account for roughly 3.9 per cent in England and Wales, as parts of the female estate are being eyed to house male inmates.

Fire safety issues could be prosecuted criminally if Crown immunity did not apply to fire safety in public prisons, fire safety regulators have warned prison chiefs.

Gemma Abbott, the legal director of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “It has been more than two decades since the government first acknowledged the fire safety shortcomings that continue to blight our prisons, and there have been no fewer than nine fire-related deaths in public prisons since then.

“Whilst the chaos of the implementation of the Sentencing Act [early release scheme] has understandably drawn attention and ire from across the board, we cannot forget that many of those who remain locked up in prison – and the staff who work there – are being exposed to intolerable fire safety risk.”

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Reform UK has offered a solution by pledging to deport all foreign criminals to El Salvador should it win the next General Election.

Party chairman Lee Anderson will lead a delegation to Central America within months for talks with Nayib Bukele’s Government on whether a scheme could work.

Nigel Farage pledged to deport some 10,000 migrant offenders overseas and free up Britain’s jails, rather than release some prisoners onto the streets early like Labour’s plan.

An MoJ spokesman said: “We take the safety of our prisons extremely seriously and are carrying out these essential fire safety works as quickly as possible.

“This is part of our plan to ensure that we can put more dangerous criminals behind bars and the country never runs out of prison space again.”