November 23, 2012 10.12 am This story is over 136 months old

Ministerial meeting secured to discuss Lincoln prison future

Some progress: Lincoln MP Karl McCartney said he has secured a Ministerial meeting to discuss the future of Lincoln Prison.

Lincoln MP Karl McCartney said he has secured a Ministerial meeting to discuss the future of Lincoln Prison early next week.

The city facility is under review as part of a national programme and could be turned into an immigration centre, which could lead to job losses.

The review is expected in the coming weeks. The Ministry of Justice claims that no concrete decisions have been made as yet in relation to Lincoln Prison.

Karl McCartney said: “Having met with and spoken to Rt Hon Chris Grayling MP, The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State, and his Prisons Minister, Jeremy Wright MP, on a number of occasions, putting forward the case for Lincoln’s prison to be retained, I very much look forward to attending the meeting I have secured for a delegation from Lincoln and Lincolnshire to meet Ministers and their civil servants early next week.

“Lincoln Prison is critical to our ability to keep communities safe by reducing and preventing recidivism once detainees – a high level of whom are from Lincolnshire – are released in the County.

“The prison also employs over 500 people and generates nearly £11 million for the county’s economy. It is vital that both those jobs and that income are kept here in Lincolnshire.

“I will put our case in the strongest possible terms so to leave colleagues, both within the Civil Service and relevant Ministers, in doubt as to my position and the strength of feeling in our City and County on this crucial issue.”