As Minister of State for the Ministry of Justice, Edward Argar acknowledged the ongoing dialogue with Welsh representatives on prison matters. He highlighted that six prisons in Wales operate across five sites, contributing to public safety by housing serious offenders and reducing crime through rehabilitation measures. The minister noted that while there are proportionately more prisoners from local authority areas in Wales compared to England, this reflects a unified jurisdiction where prisoners can serve time either within or outside of Wales. Argar emphasized the importance of using prisons effectively to ensure spaces for dangerous criminals, advocating for longer sentences for serious offenders alongside rehabilitative measures for lower-risk individuals. He also commended Welsh prison performance, with all facilities rated as good or outstanding in 2022-23. On healthcare and local authority support for housing, Argar stated these responsibilities lie with the Welsh Government and NHS Wales, respectively. Regarding remand prisoners, he mentioned that while 14% of the population in Welsh prisons is on remand, this figure is lower than England's but still a significant challenge. The minister also discussed efforts to reduce reoffending rates through employment and vocational training programs, noting improvements from 34.7% to 28.9%. He concluded by addressing the issue of Friday releases and expressed a preference for maintaining the single jurisdiction approach over devolution.