Plans have been revealed to build four new modern prisons in the UK.

A total of 5,000 new prison places will be created at Full Sutton in Yorkshire, Hindley in Wigan, Rochester in Kent and Port Talbot in South Wales.

Announcing the plans today, 22 March, Justice Secretary Elizabeth Truss said the planned building programme will replace outdated prisons and create hundreds of jobs for local people.

The schemes are set to generate up to 2,000 jobs in the construction and manufacturing industries, as well as provide new opportunities for local businesses.

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Ms Truss said: "We cannot hope to reduce reoffending until we build prisons that are places of reform where hard work and self-improvement flourish.

"Outdated prisons, with dark corridors and cramped conditions, will not help offenders turn their back on crime – nor do they provide our professional and dedicated prison officers with the right tools or environment to do their job effectively.

"This significant building programme will not only help create a modern prison estate where wholescale reform can truly take root, but will also provide a thriving, economic lifeline for the local community – creating hundreds of jobs for local people and maximising opportunities for businesses."

(LM/MH)