David Gauke has said prisoners should be given greater incentives for good behaviour behind bars, such as extra family time and release on temporary licence.

In his first speech since becoming Justice Secretary, Mr Gauke said it was clear that standards had fallen well below what was expected in some prisons, as he outlined the challenge of coping with a toxic cocktail of drugs, violence and self harm behind bars.

Announcing new plans to isolate crime bosses using a “deliveroo-style” service to sell drugs to other inmates, he said he was “shocked and sickened” by social media videos of inmates showing the extent of drug use in jails.

He described seeing two naked prisoners wearing muzzles and fighting like dogs while high on Spice, while another got into a tumble dryer.