The Ministry of Justice

2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services – in the Senedd on 11 July 2018.

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Photo of Julie Morgan Julie Morgan Labour

(Translated)

7. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on his latest meeting with the Ministry of Justice? OAQ52503

Photo of Alun Davies Alun Davies Labour 3:06, 11 July 2018

I am meeting with Edward Argar MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, and Rory Stewart MP, Minister of State for Prisons, next Monday, 16 July.

Photo of Julie Morgan Julie Morgan Labour 3:07, 11 July 2018

I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that response. Will he be pressing for a women's residential centre in Wales after the UK Government announced a new female offender strategy on 27 June? As I understand it, the five prisons that were planned to be built for women will be abandoned. Instead, there will be five residential centres for women, which I think is entirely in line with the change in justice policy for women that many of us have pressed for for a long time. So, would he be pressing for one of those centres to be built in Wales?

Photo of Alun Davies Alun Davies Labour

Yes, I will be. I've made the case on a number of occasions, but I believe we do need a significant investment in the secure estate in Wales. I think anybody looking at the estate as it is today would understand that it is not designed for Wales's needs and is not fit for purpose to meet our needs today and in the future.

In terms of female offending, I am very, very anxious to ensure that we have a facility in Wales—a women's centre along the lines that the Member describes—to provide support for women and, of course, to reduce the number of women in the criminal justice system. We want Welsh women to have safe and secure facilities to enable their effective care and rehabilitation. We also want to ensure that we are able to reduce the number of women in the system. To that end, we will be supporting a women's pathfinder project, which is designed to deliver a women-specific, whole-system, integrated approach to service provision for women who come into contact with the criminal justice system in Wales. So, we want to see a holistic, comprehensive approach to policy in Wales that puts the woman at the centre of that policy and doesn't simply seek to build a women's prison that doesn't meet our needs today or in the future.

Photo of Elin Jones Elin Jones Plaid Cymru 3:09, 11 July 2018

(Translated)

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary.