The plan to use ‘bespoke’ tags to monitor criminals via GPS satellites has been abandoned by the Tories after the project ran into technical difficulties, costing the taxpayer up to £23 million. Ministers will now look to use available off-the-shelf technologies to achieve their goals. The Telegraph reports: Ministers wanted to develop their own “bespoke” tags to monitor offenders on release or bail via GPS. But a string of delays and problems has forced the Ministry of Justice to abandon the scheme. Previous attempts have been beset with technology problems including losing the signal when the offender is next to a tall building or even under a tree. Around £21 million of the £23 million research project has already been spent and officials refused to say whether the department will be liable for the rest as well. Instead, they will now simply look to buy the technology that is already on the market. The move marks the latest in a string of U-turns since Mr Gove replaced Chris Grayling as Justice Secretary, including scrapping the controversial criminal courts charge, ditching plans for “secure colleges” and terminating a controversial £5.9 million bid to run prison training services in Saudi Arabia. Jo [...]