“Rather than trying to improve the system, the fact that instead Labour ministers and special advisers think it’s a good use of public money to spend time failing to answer questions then brief the media about how clever they are is and sad indictment of this failing Labour government under Sir Keir Starmer and shows how unfit they are to hold office.”.
Mr Holden also asked how many existing cells had additional beds installed to increase capacity, but Sir Nicholas said “data on the number of cells which had additional beds installed is not held by the Ministry of Justice for the period requested”.
Responding, justice minister Sir Nicholas Dakin revealed that the Tories increased the capacity of the prison estate by just 455 spaces in their fourteen years in power - fewer spaces than the current government has created in its seven months in office.
Exclusive: Responding to a written question from Tory MP Richard Holden, a justice minister revealed that the Conservatives increased the capacity of the prison estate by less than 500 spaces in fourteen years.
Top Tory Richard Holden has accidentally exposed his own party’s shocking record on increasing prison capacity, revealing that the Conservatives increased jail spaces by just 455 places in fourteen years.
