3. Urgent Question: The Decision to Build a Prison in Port Talbot

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:44 pm on 22 March 2017.

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Photo of Carl Sargeant Carl Sargeant Labour 2:44, 22 March 2017

I thank the Member for his question and his interest on that, representing his constituents. Of course, many of the questions he has rightly raised require Ministry of Justice responses, but they are at very early stages. The statement that was issued by the Ministry of Justice was about the indication to consider building a prison in Neath Port Talbot, and those fundamental questions about the indirect consequences that the Member raises are things that will happen through both consultation and also the proper planning processes by the Ministry of Justice.

My team will be engaging with the Ministry of Justice around these issues and, of course, I did visit HMP Berwyn in Wrexham. I think the nervousness of new institutions like this is one that galvanises communities, but I can assure the Member and I would urge him to go and have a look at HMP Berwyn to allay some of his fears. But some of the questions he raises with me today are right and proper, and he does deserve answers to them.