Ken Clarke: Private sector contractors will run jails

The 1,400-inmate Birmingham Prison is to become the first jail in the UK to be privatised, Justice Secretary Ken Clarke has told MPs.

The Prison Officers' Association called the decision "disgraceful" and said it would campaign against the change.

He also told MPs that G4S will run the proposed Featherstone 2 prison, while Serco will continue to run Doncaster Prison, which was built by a private company.