Part of 2. Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution – in the Senedd at 2:45 pm on 1 March 2023.
Thank you, Counsel General. Obviously, this is a work in progress. I just want to draw your attention to the fact that the Equality and Social Justice Committee's inquiry into women involved in the criminal justice system has revealed that less than half the magistrates surveyed by the Magistrates Association had heard of the women's justice blueprint, which aspires to reduce the number of women in prison. It is very worrying to hear from Eastwood Park prison that women from south Wales are far more likely to be sent to prison than those in Devon and Cornwall. Therefore, I wondered whether you could tell us what you are doing, and your officials, to ensure that everybody involved in sentencing both men and women is aware of the initiatives that the Welsh Government is involved in, in partnership with other organisations.