Prison contractors face penal damages for delay

摘要

Contractors are to face heavy penalties if they fail to deliver prison projects on time as the government scrambles to relieve prison overcrowding. The prison service is in talks with contractors on the framework for its ￡2.3bn prison building programme over altering a damages clause that would come into effect if schemes overrun. The exact penalties are yet to be agreed, but sources involved in the talks said the service was looking to recoup the costs of housing prisoners elsewhere if a prison is not finished on time.