Prison officers could be given stab-proof vests after several staff were attacked, allegedly by Manchester bomb plotter Hashem Abedi.
Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood says the Prison Service will conduct a snap review of whether protective body armour should be made available to frontline officers.
Abedi is said to have attacked guards with hot oil and homemade weapons at HMP Frankland in County Durham on Saturday.
Four prison officers were injured, three of whom suffered with “life-threatening” stab and burn wounds that needed hospital treatment, Counter Terrorism Policing North East said. One officer remains in hospital.
The Ministry of Justice has pledged to carry out a review. Union bosses have been calling for officers to be given stab vests and protective equipment, saying the attack showed how dangerous the job is.
The Ministry of Justice has also suspended access to kitchens in separation units in prisons, where the attack is believed to have taken place in Frankland.
Frankland is one of three prisons in England and Wales containing a separation unit housing the most dangerous prisoners in thrall to extremist ideologies, which were set up following a review of extremism in prisons.
Abedi, who is serving at least 55 years for the murders of 22 people after conspiring with his brother to launch the May 2017 atrocity, was one of a small number of prisoners in Britain being held at a specialist separation unit at HMP Frankland.
Ms Mahmood said: “I share the country’s shock and anger at the attack on our prison officers at HMP Frankland last weekend.
“It is clear there are further questions to answer, and more that must be done.
“For that reason, we are carrying out an independent review into these events.
“This will look into how this was able to happen, and what we must do to better protect our prison officers in the future.
“This review will look specifically at this attack, but also more widely at how separation centres are run.”
The probe is expected to report back in the next few months.
Ms Mahmood also said there would be an audit on carrying out 230 recommendations from 19 reviews looking at extremism in prisons.
“I know full well the dangers of the warped ideology of Islamist extremists.
“I will not tolerate it within our prisons.
“Wherever I find there is opportunity to strengthen our defences and better protect our staff and the public, I will do so.”
The review is expected to make recommendations on whether any changes can be made at HMP Frankland and all other high-security jails.
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