Prison Overcrowding

Part of 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip – in the Senedd at 2:48 pm on 18 September 2024.

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Photo of Altaf Hussain Altaf Hussain Conservative 2:48, 18 September 2024

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. HMP Parc, in my region, is one of the most overcrowded prisons in the country. There have been a string of deaths at the prison in recent months, avoidable deaths at that. The latest official figures show there have been 12 deaths in Parc since the beginning of the year, and many of them self-inflicted. With the prison running at 160 per cent of capacity, the mental health and welfare of the inmates is suffering. However, overcrowding alone cannot be blamed. In recent weeks, the prisons ombudsman released the report into the death of Aaron Nunes. Mr Nunes died of a dental abcess. The ombudsman found that the inexperienced healthcare staff 

'failed to identify the seriousness of Mr Nunes' condition and mistakenly considered that he was to blame for his frequent hospital admissions', with the prison staff

'taking their lead from healthcare staff'.

It was described that his dental care was

'unsafe and subject to a catalogue of failings'.

Therefore, Cabinet Secretary, what discussions have you had with the Cabinet Secretary for health and your UK Government colleagues about the action the Welsh Government can take to improve healthcare at HMP Parc to ensure we have no more unneccessary deaths at the prison?