Early release for serious offenders part of new prison reforms, justice secretary reveals, as she opens new jail

28 March 2025, 00:16 | Updated: 28 March 2025, 06:08

The Justice Secretary has warned, "we simply cannot build our way out of the prisons capacity crisis" as she opened a new jail set to hold 1,500 prisoners.

Announcing plans to create 14,000 new prison spaces by 2031, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said those serving lengthy sentences could be freed early in a bid to cut numbers.

Category C prison HMP Millsike, which is the size of 39 football pitches, is the latest step towards the Government's target to boost the number of prison spaces by the end of Parliament.

The jail is designed to get criminals back into work, with 24 workshops and training facilities, the Ministry of Justice said on Friday.

Speaking at the jail’s opening, Ms Mahmood said: “This Government is fixing the broken prison system we inherited, delivering the cells needed to take the most dangerous criminals off our streets.

Read more: Northern England will no longer be 'held to ransom' by poor transport systems, says Starmer

“HMP Millsike sets the standard for the jails of the future, with cutting crime built into its very fabric. It is a huge step in our plan to add 14,000 extra prison places by 2031.

“But building jails only takes us so far in ending this crisis, which is why we’re also reviewing sentencing so we can always lock up dangerous offenders and make our streets safer.”

She warned prisons are currently operating at more than 99% capacity, despite thousands of prisoners being freed early last September.

She added: "Had we not acted, the result would have been catastrophic. Our courts would have ground to a halt and the police would have been forced to stop arrests.

"We would have faced a total breakdown of law and order."

Labour hopes HMP Millsike "sets the standard for the future because it is a prison designed to cut crime".

After opening the prison, Ms Mahmood was given a tour of the facility, which looks set to welcome its first prisoners next month.

As well as the cell blocks, she was shown some of the workshops which will enable 500 offenders at any time to train in skills such as cleaning, bricklaying, barbering and carpentry.

She said: "We must be honest about the challenges we face.

"While this new prison is necessary we simply cannot build our way out of the prison's capacity crisis.

"So, new prisons like Millsike must go alongside longer term sentencing reform."

She said: "We must, and we will, punish offenders.

"But that punishment must encourage them to turn their backs on a life of crime. That is how we will cut crime, have fewer victims and ultimately make our streets safer."

Ms Mahmood admitted she is prepared to use "operation measures" again if prison capacity again hits 100%.

She said: "The intention is that, in the end, once we've got the sentencing review and future legislation, we actually have a prison system that's no longer on the point of collapse."

Ms Mahmood was also asked whether the talk of reduced sentences to cut prisoner numbers ran counter to a new campaign, supported by the parents of Sarah Everard, for tougher sentencing for serious violent and sexual criminals.

The Justice Secretary said it was an "important campaign" and added: "It's not a question of who is right or wrong.

"It's a question of making sure we have a prison system that ensures that dangerous offenders are locked up and makes sure that there are places for them to be locked up in."

She said: "We have to make sure there is always a prison place available for people who are dangerous offenders and need to be locked up. And, on that I would have absolutely common cause with victims such as those involved in this campaign.

“Short sentence reform on its own isn’t going to be enough. We are filling prison spaces as fast as we can build them, and we know all already we cannot build our way out of this crisis, even though we are also building at the same time.”