Accommodation for People Leaving Cardiff Prison

Part of 3. Topical Questions – in the Senedd at 3:16 pm on 13 February 2019.

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Photo of Leanne Wood Leanne Wood Plaid Cymru 3:16, 13 February 2019

There were a number of disturbing details contained within the report of the independent monitoring board at HMP Cardiff released last week. For example, I was concerned, as others have mentioned, to hear that going back to prison was more attractive for some inmates than staying at the Huggard centre. Now, it must be disappointing for you to read that the lack of accommodation available to inmates upon release was described as not only inhumane but as a major factor in reoffending. The report calls upon your Government directly to review housing policy as a matter of urgency, as well as to review health service provision towards primary mental health care in prisons. So, will you do that? Clearly, this Government has been failing prisoners more widely, and it's failing society actually, because reoffending is no-one's interests at all. Now, clearly, some of the responsibility for this is not devolved, but there are big responsibilities under your Government. So, what are you going to do about it all?