Lincoln Prison immigration centre plan scrapped

The prison houses about 740 male inmates

Plans to convert Lincoln Prison into an immigration removal centre have been dropped, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has said.

The future of the category B prison had been under review with its conversion thought to be one of the favoured options.

But now the UK Border Agency has said it is no longer interested in using the building.

The MoJ said the prison's future was still being reviewed.

'Good news'

In a statement, it said: "HMP Lincoln will continue in its current role, although the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) keeps all options for the estate under review."

City of Lincoln Council leader Ric Metcalfe, who was part of a delegation which met with prisons minister Jeremy Wright earlier this week, said he understood changing the prison to category C was one of the options being considered.

Lincolnshire County Council leader Martin Hill, who had argued against the prison becoming an immigration removal centre, described the announcement as "extremely good news for the people of Lincolnshire".

A planned protest by staff at the prison, due to be held on Friday, has been cancelled.