WEEKEND jails are to be expanded throughout England and Wales as part of a law-and-order package that includes more jail spaces and probation officers to deal with offenders. The initiative was announced by David Blunkett yesterday.

An additional 1,300 spaces will be provided in existing prisons over the next 18 months and 1,800 probation officers and support staff are to be recruited by 2006.

An increase in spending on jails and the probation service will be matched by an additional £90 million for combating terrorism; the bulk is to be spent on recruiting Special Branch officers.

The increase in spending means that the counter-terrorism budget has risen by 50 per cent since September 11 and will have doubled by 2008.

Mr Blunkett defended the tough anti-terror laws he has taken since the September 11 attacks. He told the Labour Party conference: “If we did not do what we are doing and we didn’t get this right we could say goodbye to a third term in government.

“One thing is absolutely certain: we would never be forgiven again if we didn’t take the legislative measures to back up our counter-terrorism and security forces and make sure no one threatens our lives unnecessarily.”

The Home Secretary said that the Queen’s Speech would announce Bills to introduce biometric identity cards and on naming juveniles who breach antisocial behaviour orders.

But long-promised plans to create a criminal offence of corporate manslaughter are unlikely to be law before a general election. Mr Blunkett said that a draft Bill would be published soon.

He also announced a three-month campaign, beginning in January, which will be aimed at closing premises used for drug-dealing and drug-taking.

In another initiative, under-18s who breach antisocial behaviour orders will be named. At present they can be named when they are given the order but not when they are taken back to court for breaking it.

The plan to extend weekend prison sentences comes after two pilot schemes at Kirkham prison in Lancashire and Morton Hall women’s jail in Lincolnshire. One unit capable of holding 40 offenders during weekends has been set up at each jail for the scheme. Initial results from the pilot scheme show that of 103 orders given for so called “intermittent custody”, only three have been breached.

However, the trials have shown that weekend jail is more popular with the courts than weekday custody, a sentence that has been passed on only three people.

Weekend jail is not available for offenders convicted of sexual offences and is applicable only to those given a jail term of up to 12 months.

The aim of the sentence is to allow offenders to keep their jobs, family ties or education.

Probation officers conduct risk reviews of potentially suitable prisoners to weed out those who would be a potential danger to the public, or have drug or alcohol habits that make them erratic.

Any prisoners who fail to turn up on time to be locked up risk being sent into full-time custody.

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