The UK government will unveil a £110 million scheme on 1 September to expand prison capacity, converting offices, storage areas and laundry rooms into cells as part of a plan to add 14,000 spaces by 2031. The announcement comes as controversy grows over the early release of thousands of prisoners, with the Conservatives accusing ministers of failing to address falling capacity while relying on a Lancashire prison project originally launched under the previous government.

Justice Secretary Alex Norris will also confirm funding for future prison site acquisitions and £18.9 million for victim support services, alongside a signed contract for a 1,700-place prison in Lancashire. Around 4,500 inmates are now due for early release over the next ten months, after the Prime Minister excluded those convicted of unlawful killing—including PC Andrew Harper's killers—from the scheme, instead freeing extra space by releasing some IPP prisoners, a move critics say risks public safety and strains police monitoring resources.