Temporary cells to be deployed at HMP Northumberland to cope with capacity pressures

The category C prison will be one of 18 to receive the modular ‘rapid deployment cells’.

Supporting infrastructure will also be installed at the prison, which is located near Acklington.

The modular cells are required to cope with pressure on HMP Northumberland’s capacity and allow for maintenance work to take place.

Capacity problems resulting from the pandemic and last year’s barristers strike are becoming increasingly common in prisons across England.

Prisons minister Damian Hinds said: “The government will stop at nothing to ensure we have enough prison cells to take dangerous criminals off the streets.

“These measures to create a further 1,900 places are providing extra capacity to deal with immediate pressures stemming from the pandemic and its impact on the justice system.”

The cells were previously used in prisons during the Covid-19 pandemic to try and reduce the spread of the virus.