JUSTICE Secretary David Gauke will risk a fresh backlash today by unveiling plans to give prisoners phones in their cell.

In a £30million package for Britain’s ageing jails, the Cabinet Minister will commit to putting ‘in-cell’ phones in 20 prisons so they can call home in private.

3 Lags could get their own 'in cell' phones under a £30million prison refurb package Credit: Alamy

3 David Gauke will commit to putting 'in cell' phones in 20 prisons Credit: PA:Press Association

Officials claim the move will stop the booming trade in illicit mobiles – and prevent violence on landings as lags queue for the one phone on the floor.

Lags will have to use a pin to access their in-cell handset, they will be charged for the calls and will only be able to ring approved numbers.

The move has already been trialled at jails such as Wandsworth and Nottingham. Mr Gauke will say: “Once in prison, offenders deserve to live in decent, safe and secure environments.

“Decency also extends to how we treat prisoners – fairly and consistently, with time out of their cells, activities and the opportunity to maintain family relationships.”

3 The move aims to stop mobile-smuggling and riots on landings Credit: Met Police

But it comes just weeks after furious Tory MPs claimed the Government was going soft after Ministers suggested scrapping all jail terms of less than 12 months.

Mr Gauke will separately outline plan to spend £16million of the £30million on a huge repair job on creeking jails – from fixing window grills to toilets and improving kitchens and food halls.

most read in politics furlough 2.0 Rishi announces furlough plan where workers get 77% pay for doing 1/3 hours Latest 'PERILOUS POINT' PM warns stricter rules likely to last 6 MONTHS ruining Xmas for millions ROAD TO WIGAN FEAR Stockport and Wigan could face fresh coronavirus lockdown rules in days WINTER COMING England may have to ban home visits too as SAGE adviser warns lockdown coming CONFLICT OF INTEREST Sir Patrick Vallance has £600k of shares in vaccine maker GSK Latest NOT ON MY WATCH Rishi Sunak rejects claims Eat Out to Help Out caused coronavirus spike

In a speech on Tuesday, he will say that too many prisoners are eating in conditions that fail to meet modern hygiene standards.

He will confirm plans to spend £1million on new IT that picks out kingpins who should be placed in higher security jails by pooling information not only from their court case but other law enforcement databases.

Rioting cons take over Hewell prison wing with makeshift weapons and fire