Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on devolving justice policy to the Welsh Government, what specific policy issues these discussions have covered, and whether the UK Government intends to devolve responsibility for courts and prisons to the Welsh Government.

I recently met with the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution to discuss our respective priorities, which included the Welsh Government’s position on justice. This is one example of the regular meetings I hold with Welsh Ministers to drive forward constructive joint working between our two governments.

The current devolution settlement enables Wales to benefit from the resources, expertise and resilience of a shared England and Wales justice system, while allowing for approaches that reflect Welsh circumstances.

The Prime Minister and I have been clear that we will give careful consideration to calls for the devolution of further powers. What matters is what works, and our guiding principle is whether further devolution would lead to better outcomes for the people of Wales.