Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Prisons in Wales — [James Gray in the Chair]

29 November 2023 · 3 other contributors · 4,503 words

Opened by Liz Saville-Roberts PC Dwyfor Meirionnydd

Responding minister: Edward Argar

Justice & CourtsWales

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Liz Saville-Roberts raised concerns about prisons in wales — [james gray in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Dr Robert Jones of the Wales Governance Centre highlighted that Wales has the highest imprisonment rate in Western Europe, with 177 people imprisoned per 100,000 population.
  • Liz Saville-Roberts called for the devolution of probation and youth justice services in Wales and a complete overhaul of the criminal justice system to better align it with health, housing, and social policy.
  • The Minister of State for the Ministry of Justice acknowledged ongoing dialogue with Welsh representatives on prison matters and noted that six prisons in Wales operate across five sites, contributing to public safety.

Key requests to Government

Saville-Roberts calls for the devolution of probation and youth justice services, along with a complete overhaul of the criminal justice system in Wales to better align it with health, housing, and social policy frameworks. She also requests disaggregated data on the Welsh prison estate from the government.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Liz Saville-Roberts PC Dwyfor Meirionnydd

Dr Robert Jones of the Wales Governance Centre has highlighted that Wales has the highest imprisonment rate in Western Europe, with 177 people imprisoned per 100,000 population as of September this year. The debate underlines issues such as overcrowding, staff retention problems at Berwyn prison, and difficulties for Welsh women prisoners who are often housed far from home, making it hard to maintain family connections and secure housing upon release. Liz Saville-Roberts also mentioned the over-representation of black people in Wales' prisons (3.1% compared to 0.9% of general population) and the connection between incarceration and homelessness.

Other contributors (3)
  • Hywel Williams

    Highlighted the acute situation of women prisoners from Wales who are housed far away in other regions, stating that this causes undue suffering to both them and their families.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Commended the right hon. Lady for securing the debate and requested that any measures taken in Wales be applied to Northern Ireland, highlighting the need for coordination of legal systems across the UK.

  • Ruth Jones Lab Newport West and Islwyn

    Expressed concern about inadequate healthcare provision for prisoners in Welsh prisons, which has led to avoidable fatalities. She also questioned why there is no proper plan for prisoners once they are released despite knowing their release date.

Government Response

Edward Argar

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.

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