Make more use of open prisons, former minister says

The UK should "make more use of open prisons" to avoid overcrowding and reduce reoffending, the man leading the government's sentencing review has suggested.

David Gauke told the Times that "we have run out of space" in prisons and there is "an opportunity" for the system to change if inmates are given more freedom to leave prison to study and work during the day.

The former Conservative justice secretary has been called in by the government to review sentencing and tackle overcrowding.

His comments follow visits to three prisons in Spain, where reforms have seen 25% of inmates placed in open prisons.

He said the policy saved money and better prepared inmates for release which made them less likely to reoffend.

Gauke served as justice secretary between January 2018 and July 2019 in Theresa May's Cabinet.

Earlier this year to he was appointed to lead a Government sentencing review, which is expected to consider scrapping short sentences and toughening up community orders as an alternative to jail.

The review was a Labour manifesto pledge and the party has also appointed Lord Timpson, former head of the key-cutting chain that hires ex-offenders and chief of the Prison Reform Trust, as its prisons minister.