Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Anna McMorrin and Phillip Lee

Tuesday 5th December 2017 Commons Chamber

[Anna McMorrin (Cardiff North) (Lab)]

T3. The current prison system is failing young people and women. Youth and female offending needs a different approach, based on the community and community services, rather than simply imprisonment. What will the Secretary of State do to help ensure education and rehabilitation, not punishment and not prisons?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Dr Phillip Lee)]

I was in Cardiff last Thursday, when I met the pathfinder team there who work with women offenders, both in the community and when they are in custody, and I was very impressed by the work they do. I went on to the youth offending establishment at Parc, where I was particularly impressed during the visit. On both youth and women, our strategy is that if we can keep people out of custody, we will, but if they need to be in custody, we will make that decision.