Clause 9
Welfare Reform Bill
6:00 pm
Mark Harper (Shadow Minister, Work & Pensions; Forest of Dean, Conservative)
On prisons, may I make a helpful point? This issue came up when I visited the progress2work operation run by Turning Point in Cardiff. Rather than simply have information about people who have recently left prison, it might help if the Department got that information in advance. One thing that has come through very clearly to me is that if there is no arrangement in place for someone’s housing and work situation as they are leaving prison, but preferably before they leave, and if they go back to where they used to live, they end up associating with the same people and quickly getting back on to drugs. That not only spoils their employment opportunities but, if they have been off drugs in prison, it can lead to their dying or becoming seriously ill. Notwithstanding concerns about information sharing, it would be better to have information from prisons before or as soon as those people leave. That would join them up with this type of programme so that they do not fall through that gap.