Opened the debate
Expressed gratitude towards prison staff for their work amidst the challenges of the pandemic, highlighted the sky-high level of violence plaguing UK prisons and its impact on rehabilitation and reoffending rates. He argued that the government's new 'Prisons Strategy' White Paper provides an opportunity for urgently needed change but is missing a commitment to safety targets for both prisoners and staff. His Bill aims to enshrine a statutory duty on prison management, whether public or private, to minimise violence and encourages the adoption of the 'Safe inside prisons' charter by all recognised unions.