Prisoners face anti-drugs scans

6:28pm Monday 7th July 2008

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Prisoners in Oxfordshire face regular orifice scans to stop them smuggling drugs and mobile phones into jail, the Government announced today.

The decision follows figures showing 70 inmates tested positive for illegal drugs in the county's jails - Bullingdon near Bicester, and Huntercombe Young Offenders' Institution near Wallingford - in 2006/07.

Ministers said the non-invasive scanners, would be installed in all UK prisons from next year.

Currently, only the highest security prisons are equipped with the machines.

The move came in response to the Blakey Review, published today, which was set up to explore ways of disrupting the supply of illicit drugs into prisons.

Prisons Minister David Hanson MP opened a £25.3m new wing at Bullingdon today.

The Finmere Unit will provide another 120 bed spaces for new prisoners and inmates who have demonstrated good behaviour while in custody.

A detoxification unit for long term drug addicts has also been created as part of the project.