5. Debate on the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee report: Voting Rights for Prisoners

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:37 pm on 25 September 2019.

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Photo of Huw Irranca-Davies Huw Irranca-Davies Labour 4:37, 25 September 2019

He must have been taken, as I was, by the evidence given by the Prison Reform Trust when they said, 'Let's not forget that many of the people in prison come from those communities, disproportionately from black and ethnic minority communities, disproportionately from disadvantaged communities as well.' They're not a separate community; they are part of our community. And that's right, because if we fail to adequately put rehabilitation in place—and part of this debate is around that as well—then, actually, what we're saying is we are casting those people out, and heaven help us then for the implications of that when they are released back into our community, unless we treat them as citizens.