Government Overcrowding Cock-Up Sends Prisoner Transfer Costs Soaring

12.00.00am GMT Mon 29th Oct 2007

Today, Jenny Willott MP released figures showing that the cost of transferring prisoners between sites of secure accommodation have risen by 43% over the last six years.

The cost of inter-prison transfers and court escort services has increased from £105.1 million in 2001/02 to £150.5 million in 2006/7.

Commenting, Jenny said:

"The soaring cost of transferring prisoners is a symptom of the chronic overcrowding in our prisons, which is a problem entirely of the Government's own making.

"There can be no good reason why the cost of ferrying prisoners around has rocketed by over 40% in just six years. It is a direct result of prison overcrowding and the government's handling of the criminal justice system.

"These figures make the anecdotal evidence of convicts being put in cabs to get to their new prison accommodation all the more believable.

"If the Government remains intent on meddling with the criminal justice system and dragging more and more people through it, the result will be this type of explosion of costs leaving the tax payer to foot the bill."