Battle of the Titans

Battle of the Titans

In the face of opposition from experts the British government may be reconsidering its plan to build three large new prisons

Jacqui Smith's recent announcement that proposals for direct elections to police authorities have been dropped is a rare example of consultation really making a difference. The British government is often accused of ignoring the results of its own consultations as it pushes on with policies regardless. But in this case the Home Office appears to have taken on board the concerns raised by the police and local councils and recognised that a U-turn, however embarrassing, was the right course of action.

So, if this approach is being followed over at the Ministry of Justice, can we expect a similar volte-face on Titan prisons? In a recent letter, David Hanson, the minister for prisons, announced that the government's response to its consultation on Titan prisons, which had previously been expected in November, would now be delayed until the end of the financial year. This, he explained, would give the government more time to consider the consultation responses it had received.