The Size of the Prison Estate in Wales

Part of 2. Questions to the Counsel General and Brexit Minister (in respect of his 'law officer' responsibilities) – in the Senedd at 2:32 pm on 15 October 2019.

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Photo of Jeremy Miles Jeremy Miles Labour 2:32, 15 October 2019

I thank the Member for that supplementary question. I, too, saw the proposals made in the Queen's Speech yesterday. I'm afraid I take the entire event yesterday as something of a political stunt in the broader context of the situation in which the Government finds itself. But on the substantive point the Member makes about the prison estate in Wales, and the possibility, as she refers, of the Baglan development in particular, she will recall that, following the issues with that proposed development, the Welsh Government issued a written statement in April of last year, indicating that we wouldn't facilitate any further prison development in Wales without meaningful discussion with the Ministry of Justice about the future estate, and that any new prison development in Wales should give due regard to the needs of Wales and should be done in full collaboration and co-operation with the Welsh Government. 

I do understand that the Ministry of Justice may be pursuing sites for a new male prison in south Wales. However, we haven't had yet any further details in relation to that, but we have been pressing for those details to be provided, and we will continue to do so. But I reassure the Member that the principles set out in the statement of 6 April remain the Government's position.