By Paul Dicken
3 March 2010
MPs have criticised the lack of prison facilities in North Wales and called on the Ministry of Justice to adopt a more flexible approach to prisons policy.
The Welsh affairs select committee in Westminster said there was an urgent need for a prison in North Wales. It added that the decision to withdraw from a plan to build new facilities near Caernarfon was a backward step.
Committee chair Hywel Francis said: ‘New facilities would not only bring positive economic benefits to local communities but would also bring relief to the family, friends, support workers and probation officers who require improved access to prisoners.’
He said the lack of progress since 2007, when the committee last examined the Welsh prison estate, was of ‘significant concern’.
The government’s determination to build prisons of 1,500 places meant a smaller facility to serve the people of North Wales was not considered justified.
But the MPs said a ‘rigid policy on prison size’ should not deny Wales the facilities it needs.
3 March 2010
MPs have criticised the lack of prison facilities in North Wales and called on the Ministry of Justice to adopt a more flexible approach to prisons policy.
The Welsh affairs select committee in Westminster said there was an urgent need for a prison in North Wales. It added that the decision to withdraw from a plan to build new facilities near Caernarfon was a backward step.
Committee chair Hywel Francis said: ‘New facilities would not only bring positive economic benefits to local communities but would also bring relief to the family, friends, support workers and probation officers who require improved access to prisoners.’
He said the lack of progress since 2007, when the committee last examined the Welsh prison estate, was of ‘significant concern’.
The government’s determination to build prisons of 1,500 places meant a smaller facility to serve the people of North Wales was not considered justified.
But the MPs said a ‘rigid policy on prison size’ should not deny Wales the facilities it needs.
