THE locations of 500 planned prison places - including 60 in the North-East - were revealed yesterday as it emerged overcrowding is contributing to a sharp rise in inmate suicides.

Justice Minister David Hanson told MPs that most of the new places would be in temporary or "rapid build" units at existing prisons.

The announcement came as figures revealed about 50 prisoners have taken their own lives so far this year, compared with 67 in the whole of last year.

If deaths continue at the same rate, it would reverse a trend in which prison suicides have fallen from levels such as 95 in 2002, 94 in 2003 and 95 in 2004, to 78 in 2005 and 67 last year.

Chief Inspector of Prisons Anne Owers said the recent overcrowding crisis had seen newly-convicted prisoners housed in police and court cells, where they do not have access to the support proper jails offer at their time of greatest vulnerability.

The prison population hit a record of 81,040 this month, before dipping by 1,500 because of a Government early-release scheme. Up to 400 inmates were also being held in cells in police stations and courts.

Ms Owers told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Inevitably, while prisons are operating under the pressures they are, all the systems operating in prisons are under huge stress.

"Staff are under stress, prisoners are under stress, and that means the most vulnerable won't always be able to get the support they need."

Last month, the then Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer of Thoroton pledged to provide an additional 1,500 prison places.

In a statement to MPs, Mr Hanson gave details of where the first 500 places will be.

He said: "Officials from the Ministry of Justice have made initial contact with the relevant local planning authorities. Letters have been sent to the MPs for the constituencies concerned.

"An announcement about decisions on the remaining 1,000 places will be made after Lord Carter has completed his review of the prison building programme."

The new prison places are:

* Blundeston (Suffolk) - 60 places

* Erlestoke (Wiltshire) - 60 places

* Kirklevington Grange (Teesside) - 60 places

* Ranby (Nottinghamshire) - 60 places

* Isle of Wight - 68 places

* Wymott (Lancashire) - 64 places

* Ashwell (Rutland) - 64 places

* Highpoint (Suffolk) - 64 places.