Key facts
- Hundreds of prisoners may be housed two to a cell in temporary prefabricated units designed for one person.
- The Ministry of Justice requested the installation of second beds in Rapid Deployment Cells (RDCs).
- The plan could increase the overall prison capacity by 476 places.
- Governors and prison officers expressed concerns that the proposals could breach health and safety laws and make jails unsafe.
- The prison estate in England and Wales is currently holding 87,111 people, exceeding its safety and decency definition of 81,616.
- The Ministry of Justice is investing up to £4.7 billion to create 14,000 new prison places.
Hundreds of prisoners in England and Wales may soon be housed two to a cell in temporary prefabricated units originally built for single occupancy, according to leaked documents. The Ministry of Justice has asked governors of 10 category C prisons to approve the installation of second beds in these Rapid Deployment Cells (RDCs) as a measure to address an ongoing overcrowding crisis.
The RDCs, some measuring 2.9 by 3.4 meters and equipped with a bed, toilet, and shower, were intended as a temporary solution and have an estimated 15-year lifespan. The plan, suggested by Ministry of Justice officials, could increase the overall prison capacity by 476 places.
However, prison governors and officers have raised serious concerns, suggesting the proposals could breach health and safety laws and compromise the safety of prisoners, staff, and the public. They argue that increasing operational capacity requires more than just adding beds, necessitating adequate staffing and regime activities. The Prison Officers Association has indicated that members might refuse to oversee prisons that exceed safe occupancy levels on health and safety grounds.
The Howard League for Penal Reform described the proposal as an act of "desperation," warning that cramming more people into RDCs could undermine their relative safety and reduce issues related to violence, debt, and drug misuse. Currently, the prison estate holds 87,111 people, exceeding its defined safe capacity of 81,616.
A Ministry of Justice spokesperson stated that the department is investing up to £4.7 billion to create 14,000 new prison places and that cells are only doubled up where it is deemed safe, with no final decision yet made on these specific units.