Inmates to get �2m radio service

The MoJ said the service could tell inmates in the event of an incident

A �2m radio service beaming messages and "educational programmes" into jail cells is to be rolled out across prisons in England and Wales.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said it gave the go-ahead for the service after it found keeping inmates locked up for longer each day was saving �17m a year.

The MoJ said money for the broadcasting would mainly come from existing funds.

Shadow justice minister Edward Garnier said inmates should be working in their cells not listening to the radio.

An MoJ spokesman said: "The new prison core day, which saves the prison service �17m a year, means prisoners spend more time in their cells.

'Comic or tragic'

"The prison service national radio service will allow us to communicate messages and educational programmes to them during this time, and while they are working in the prison. It can also be used to communicate to prisoners in the event of an incident."

The MoJ added that some funding for the service would come from the Prison Radio Association charity.

Mr Garnier told the Sun newspaper: "The government has presided over the worst prison overcrowding in the history of the Prison Service. Now it tries to pretend pumping radio programmes into cells makes everything all right.

"It would be comic if it were not so tragic."

Last week figures showed the prison population in England and Wales had reached 81,748.