Justice secretary Elizabeth Truss has said she is committed to making prisons safe and decent places to live and work after a visit to HMP Wayland.

She is on a prison tour after launching a major recruitment drive to employ 2,500 new officers. Wayland has also been given money to recruit new specialist staff to reduce violence and to use deterrents such as mobile phone detectors and improved CCTV.

Speaking after the visit, the South-West Norfolk MP said: 'I have always been clear that as well as punishing offenders, our prisons must become places of safety and reform. We must do all we can to give prisoners the best chance to turn their lives around.

'I came to Wayland today to make sure staff know I'm committed to giving them the support they need to do their jobs safely and securely.' The Ministry of Justice said prison governors were being given greater control over how they run their prisons.