Oral Answers to Questions

Sarah Atherton Excerpts

Tuesday 9th June 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

The Minister can maybe add Chorley to his list of reopenings.

[Sarah Atherton (Wrexham) (Con)]

What progress his Department has made during the covid-19 outbreak on meeting its commitment to increase prison capacity.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

What steps he is taking to increase prison capacity.

[The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lucy Frazer)]

Mr Speaker, I know the subject of court reopenings is very close to your heart.

To support the Prime Minister’s commitment to crack down on crime, we are investing up to £2.5 billion to provide 10,000 additional prison places. Construction for our prison at Wellingborough has continued safely since restrictions were imposed in March, and in May we started on early works for our prison in Glen Parva.

[Sarah Atherton]

Will my hon. and learned Friend please provide an update on the women’s residential centre pilot scheme, which is due to be located in Wales?

[Lucy Frazer]

As my hon. Friend will know, on 5 May I announced our commitment to locate the first residential women’s centre in Wales, and we are now working closely with our Welsh partners to develop a detailed proposal for the site in Wales. Our intention is for that to open by the end of 2021. I am grateful for her continued interest, and I look forward to meeting her to discuss it next week.