<p>A New Prison at Baglan</p>

Part of 2. 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:32 pm on 4 July 2017.

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Photo of Bethan Sayed Bethan Sayed Plaid Cymru 1:32, 4 July 2017

Following on from that theme, last week, in a question that I asked the Cabinet Secretary, I asked, ‘Why did you let the land go forward for consideration to be used for a prison?’, the Cabinet Secretary said, and I quote

‘the Member’s incorrect in her assertion that I had an option in terms of the land issue regarding the prison.’

Could you please clarify this? Did you offer up that piece of land to the MOJ to consider? If you did not, how has it come about that a piece of Welsh Government land is being considered in the first place? If it is earmarked for potential other usage, why has it not been earmarked for that use before now, for businesses locally, as David Rees has said, and can you confirm that you would be looking at other options in relation to this particular location? I’d also like to ask you: I’ve had an email from a member of staff at Cardiff prison, who said that the staff are already being told that Cardiff prison is going to be closed for shopping development, and that Swansea prison is going to be closed also. Can you confirm this, or have you had any conversations with the MOJ with regard to this?