Prisons and Probation Minister Joyce Quin has announced she will be talking to penal reform groups, campaigners and the Samaritans in a bid to cut the number of prison suicides.

The number of prison suicides last year hit an all-time-high, with 70 inmates taking their lives in Britain's jails.

While the record prison population is blamed for the high figure, with the proportion of inmates who kill themselves actually falling, prisons minister Joyce Quin says even one death is one too many.

Joyce Quin: seeking advice from the Samaritans, and prison reform groups

The number of young men who take their own lives and the suicide rate among those on remand is causing particular concern.

Representatives of the Samaritans, and prison reform groups are among those whose ideas the minister will seek at the meeting planned for later this month.

The Chief Inspector of prison's Sir David Ramsbotham has also been invited to the meeting and is being asked carry out his own study into the problem, reporting back to ministers later this year.

Prison service: asked for ideas on cutting number of suicides

Meanwhile the prisons service has been asked to review the way it tries to identify those who might attempt to take their own lives and look at cell design as way of cutting the number of deaths.

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