The UK has more prisoners than any other EU nation

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Of more than 40 administrations which took part in the analysis published by the Council of Europe, only Turkey had more inmates, with 192,627.

The study said there were 85,134 inmates and detainees in England and Wales at the end of June 2016, while Northern Ireland and Scotland had 1,500 and 7,657 respectively in September of that year.

The combined total was the highest for all of the EU member states, and compared with 68,514 in France, 64,397 in Germany, 54,195 in Italy and 60,687 in Spain.

England and Wales had a prison population rate of 146.4 inmates per 100,000 inhabitants, which was higher than the Europe-wide average of 127.2.

England and Wales had one of the highest numbers of prisoners serving life, with 7,361, according to the study which is known as Space.