The government has brought forward plans to make more than 500 new prison places available to deal with rioters arrested over the past week.

From next week, 567 more places will be available, courts minister Heidi Alexander told Sky News.

They will be spread across a new housing block at Stocken Prison in Rutland and the newly repurposed HMP Cookham Wood, a former young offenders institution in Borstal, Kent, that was closed in March after the prisons watchdog called it “inhumane”.

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The government already had plans to provide more space at the institutions to deal with the country’s prison overcrowding problem, but it is bringing those forward to deal with rioters over the past week who are expected to be held on remand in prison.

Hundreds of people have been arrested since last Tuesday, when riots kicked off after false information spread online that the Southport stabbing suspect, who was born in Wales, was a Syrian asylum seeker who had arrived via a small boat last year.

Dozens of people have started appearing in court charged with various offences, including violent disorder, racially aggravated harassment and using threatening words online to stir up racial hatred.

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Ms Alexander said: “We have got additional prison places that are available in the short term.

“Because the individuals that are carrying out this violent disorder do need to face consequences for their actions.”

The prison system will still remain overcrowded and if the riots continue those cells could be filled up quickly.

Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced last month about 5,000 prisoners will be released early to relieve pressure on the system, with the first being released in September.

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The government has this week opened up further courts to deal with the numbers of rioters being arrested, with 70 more prosecutors brought in and 60 remand courts open over the weekend.

But suggestions courts could work overnight, which happened during 2011 riots, are under question as magistrates and criminal barristers said the criminal justice system is already at “maximum capacity”.

Ministers have warned those rioting will face the “full force of the law”.

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Ms Mahmood wrote on social media on Tuesday: “It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’re protesting – if you turn up in a mask, with a weapon, intent on causing disorder, you will face the full force of the law.

“To those working with police and community organisations with pride and civic duty – you are the best of us.”

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