- HMP Elmley adds new houseblock to keep streets safer
- New cells will provide 247 places to lock up dangerous
criminals
- Latest boost to prison capacity as Government ensures country
never runs out of jail space again
Nearly 250 new places at HMP Elmley have been completed as part
of the largest prison expansion programme since the Victorian
era.
With its first prisoners expected in the coming weeks, the new
houseblock comes equipped with modern security features such as
reinforced windows to tackle threats like drones carrying
contraband.
A new workshop has also been added, providing prisoners with the
training and skills they need to get a job on release and turn
their backs on crime for good.
The new places form part of the Government's commitment to
deliver 14,000 additional prison places by 2031 backed by £4.7
billion of investment to ensure the country never runs out of
jail space again after prison places increased by just 500 net
spaces in the 14 years to July 2024.
, Minister for Prisons,
Probation and Reoffending, said:
This new houseblock at Elmley is another example of this
Government getting prison places built and making sure there is
always space to lock up dangerous offenders.
It features modern security measures designed to counter threats
such as drones, as well as a new workshop to support
rehabilitation and help reduce reoffending.
We inherited prisons on the brink of collapse, but our decisive
action will keep our streets safe and create a prison system with
the capacity it needs for the future.
Meanwhile, £110 million is being brought forward to speed up
construction of hundreds of prison places, including by
converting existing space such as unused offices, laundries and
storage areas into cells.
This is alongside action to boost capacity by removing foreign
national offenders more quickly and addressing the historic
injustice of Imprisonment for Public Protection sentences in a
way that balances fairness and public safety.
Further information
- HMP Elmley is a Category B/C local and resettlement prison
for adult men, located on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent.
- The houseblock will add 247 places to the prison.
- The Government has committed to delivering 14,000 additional
prison places by 2031, with around 3,300 delivered since July
2024.
