Estonia will rent a prison to England.

In a news article in the Daily Telegraph, it was stated that Estonia has offered to rent out its spare prison capacity to other countries due to its low crime rates, and the UK Ministry of Justice is said to be considering this option. The article mentioned that convicted criminals in England and Wales could be sent to Estonia, where half of the prisons are empty, and that the UK could provide £25 million in support to this country. The Telegraph's report stated that government sources indicated that the controversial solution was on the table due to the seriousness of prison overcrowding.

OFFICIALS AVOIDED COMMENTING

Estonian Minister of Justice Liisa Pakosta also stated in an interview with the Telegraph that "the UK and Estonia have a successful history of international cooperation, and such a partnership will create more opportunities for us to benefit from and learn from each other." Angela Eagle, the UK Home Office Minister, avoided commenting on whether the government is considering renting a prison in Estonia for British prisoners, stating, "This issue is not directly under my responsibility."

NUMBER OF PRISONERS INCREASES EVERY DAY

Eagle stated, "I am sure my colleagues are considering every action to deal with the crisis we have been left with in the prison service, prison services, and the criminal justice system in general by the previous government." The number of prisoners in England and Wales, which was around 40,000 in 1991, has increased by over 1,000 in the past four weeks, surpassing 88,000. Last month, there were only 83 vacant spaces in male prisons in England and Wales.