What a cell-out! Warders furious at 'appalling' plan to scrap daily checks on bars and bolts in Britain's jails

The Prison Service proposal, and another recommending a reduction in mandatory drug-testing of inmates, were described last night as "appalling" by officers' leaders, who are demanding urgent talks with Justice Secretary Jack Straw.

And they warned the moves would result in an upsurge in violence against staff and vulnerable inmates, more drug-taking and an increase in escapes.

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The 23,000-strong Prison Officers' Association (POA) said a three-minute cell check by an experienced warder included not only a physical check of bars, bolts and locks but could uncover wrappings that might have contained drugs or items that could be made into knives or other weapons.

The plans to relax security checks are designed to save £60 million in the next year but follow Government predictions that an extra 8,000 convicts will need to be accommodated within the next five years, on top of the record 80,000 already incarcerated in the 140 jails in England and Wales.

The Home Office - whose responsibility for prisons has been transferred to the Justice Ministry - revealed in July it planned to create new prison places by building additional facilities, including two new jails at Maghull in Liverpool and Belmarsh in South-East London.

Treasury officials have agreed to underwrite the costs of the private sector, raising £1.7 billion to build new facilities, but refused to foot the bill to run them. This has forced the Prison Service to seek the £60 million savings.

But a confidential management document, seen by The Mail on Sunday, assesses the risk at nearly a quarter of 33 jails surveyed last month as "red" - or "severe" - due to understaffing. This includes one prison housing dangerous category A inmates.

POA general secretary Brian Caton said: "If the searches and drug tests are cut down, it can only lead to more violent attacks against staff and other inmates, drug-taking and escapes."

But a Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said: "At this stage there is no proposal to change existing arrangements in establishments. Prisons have been overcrowded for many years but will not exceed our operational capacity.

"We are in the middle of a big recruitment campaign and we expect to recruit the numbers we need."