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<p>We will always have enough prison places for those sent to us by the courts and
continue to modernise the prison estate so that it delivers best value for the taxpayer.
This Government has a long term strategy for managing the prison estate which will
provide more adult male prison capacity than we inherited from the previous Government.</p><p>
</p><p>Crowding occurs when the number of prisoners in an accommodation unit exceeds
the Certified Normal Accommodation in that unit. The average rate of crowding is published
annually in the NOMS Annual Report and Accounts.</p><p> </p><p>The average number
of prisoners in crowded accommodation for the years 2005-06 to 2013-14 is set out
in the table below, alongside the average percentage in crowded accommodation in order
to provide context.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Average
number of prisoners in crowded accommodation</p></td><td><p>Average Rate of Crowding</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005-06</p></td><td><p>18,356</p></td><td><p>24.0%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006-07</p></td><td><p>19,438</p></td><td><p>24.6%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007-08</p></td><td><p>20,377</p></td><td><p>25.3%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008-09</p></td><td><p>20,452</p></td><td><p>24.7%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009-10</p></td><td><p>20,235</p></td><td><p>24.1%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010-11</p></td><td><p>20,211</p></td><td><p>23.8%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011-12</p></td><td><p>20,907</p></td><td><p>24.1%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012-13</p></td><td><p>19,933</p></td><td><p>23.3%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013-14</p></td><td><p>19,383</p></td><td><p>22.9%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p>In 2013-14, the average number of prisoners held in crowded conditions decreased
to 22.9% of the total population compared to 23.3% in 2012-13. This is the lowest
level since 2001-02 and has come down from a high of 25.3% in 2007-08.</p>
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