Governor of Europe's largest jail warns against 'super-prisons' plan for UK

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Justice Secretary Jack Straw has devised plans for up to three of the super-size jails each holding about 2,500 inmates.

Governor of Fleury-Merogis prison near Paris, Joaquim Pueyo, told BBC Radio 4's File on Four programme that he believed smaller units were "better".

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Warning: The head of Europe's largest jail says that massive 'Titan' prisons may prove less successful than smaller units

The programme reported that France has abandoned the experiment with jails on the scale of Fleury-Merogis, which opened 40 years ago, and is now building prisons holding far fewer offenders.

Mr Pueyo said: "I think prison establishments are better and more adapted to our mission if they are of a medium size - 600 inmates.

"This is my recommendation. But if a decision is taken to create a big prison, design blocks for no more than 400 prisoners, with one per cell."

He added: "Each small building would have to be autonomous with a team of management and a team of officers and guards dedicated to each building which would allow individual relationships."

Senior prison officer at Fleury-Merogis, Bernard Gaudicheau, said he believed the jail was a "failure".

Prisons minister David Hanson told the programme: "The proposed Titan prisons ... are large-scale prisons - but within them will be essentially small scale establishments operating on a block-by-block basis.

"We do believe that there is a need to try to bring together in one block some efficiency savings by management and by interventions for the benefit of the prisoners but ultimately for the benefit of the taxpayer.

"And ultimately to make sure that we prevent reoffending."

He added: "There will always be dangers to society from individuals who are in prison, but we are confident that we can manage good order and discipline in large-scale prisons."

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said the Titans will go ahead "subject to consultation", with the first due to open in 2012.