Community and Voluntary Sector

Baroness Porter of Fulwood Excerpts

Thursday 31st October 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Porter of Fulwood (Con) (Maiden Speech)]

My Lords, at a time when our country is facing challenges on so many fronts, the unique role of your Lordships’ House is more important than ever. It is a privilege to be joining at such a critical time.

I have appreciated so much already the collegiality and warmth of this place. I would like to especially thank those who have made my introduction to this House so smooth—Black Rod and her team, and the doorkeepers. I would also like to thank the clerks, as well as my noble friends Lady Vere of Norbiton and Lord Johnson of Lainston, who supported me at my introduction, and my mentor, my noble friend Lady Wyld, all of whom have given me valuable advice.

Like others in your Lordships’ House, I have spent many years working in government across various departments as an adviser. I have been privileged to serve in Defra, the Cabinet Office, the Department for Transport, the Ministry of Justice and No. 10. I have also worked in business at the heart of the City, helping countries and companies from around the world raise capital and advising some of the world’s largest public and private businesses on their corporate reputation. During the Brexit years, I saw first hand the value of this House when I was working at the London Stock Exchange Group, and we were navigating many detailed, complex regulatory changes. The tireless work of so many here was invaluable.

I am very aware that life is not just—in fact, not even primarily—about formal institutions, whether Parliament or the City of London. As a mother of young children with no extended family living nearby, the invisible mesh of mutual support and care from others in my community is what makes life possible. We all know this, and during Covid it was the glue that held the country together. It takes all these elements: business, politics, media, community and family. We are at our best as a country when these parts understand each other and work well together. They are, though, too often siloed and at cross-purposes. This House has a special role to play in its ability to offer a dialogue between our country’s formal and informal institutions, and to foster and build the social capital that our future depends on as a country.

It is this that brings me to today’s debate. One area where we need to focus in coming months where this is especially true is criminal justice. This country has roughly 90,000 people locked up—almost double the number of people who were in prison when I was born, just over 40 years ago. Anyone who has been involved with criminal justice will tell you the same stories of heartbreaking, layered problems: gangs; drug abuse; mental health issues; a lack of mentors or family figure role models; children growing up who barely stood a chance. They will also tell you stories of transformation, where the practical commitment of a volunteer, or the deep care of a family member, has been the key to someone finding the strength to turn their life around.

Circumstances are forcing our hand on prisons. We should not look for quick fixes for this crisis but rather far-reaching reform. As the Government respond to this practical imperative, they need to use this moment as a jumping-off point for a proper rethink of how we approach criminal justice and the role of prison more generally. The part that community and the voluntary sector plays in this must be at the heart of this reform. Charities are able to provide a level of personal support and resource that government simply cannot. The charities Clean Slate Solutions and Recruitment Junction are both great examples of this, helping people who have been in prison adjust when they get out.

I started by referencing the breadth and scale of the challenges the UK faces. These are serious times. They are also times that require us to take a look at how we have been doing things and think anew. I look forward to working with other noble Lords who are focused on these issues to bring about lasting change.