Ashley Fox
Main Page: Ashley Fox (Conservative - Bridgwater)Department Debates - View all Ashley Fox's debates with the Ministry of Justice
(2 days, 18 hours ago)
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Sir Nicholas Dakin
I pay tribute to women’s centres across the country such as that in north Wales for the excellent contribution that their work makes. I agree that short custodial sentences can be problematic; they exacerbate women’s underlying needs without allowing time for rehabilitation, and they separate mothers from children and mean that women are more likely to reoffend. That is why the Women’s Justice Board—I am grateful to my hon. Friend for welcoming it—aims to increase the number of women supported in the community. The board will also look at how we can better support mothers with young children.
Sir Ashley Fox (Bridgwater) (Con)
Does the Minister accept that allowing biological men into women’s prisons increases the risk to female offenders? Does he further accept that only biological women should be housed in women’s prisons?
Sir Nicholas Dakin
The vast majority of transgender prisoners are in men’s prisons. We have continued the policy of the previous Government, but all policies are always under review.