UK Government Minister ‘deeply concerned’ about situation at Parc Prison

The UK Government’s new Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has expressed deep concern over conditions at Parc Prison in Bridgend.

In May the previous government faced calls to take over the running of HMP Parc from private firm G4S, amid concerns over a spate of deaths.

Nine adults have died at HMP Parc since the end of February, with four deaths so far linked to substance misuse and another potentially so.

A report from the inspectorate of prisons into HMP Parc published in 2022 found that almost half of prisoners had easy access to drugs.

A Welsh Affairs Committee inquiry into prisons also received evidence regarding drug use, as well the fact that Parc is both under-staffed and the staff are inexperienced.

The problems at the prison were raised in the Commons today (18 May) by the Labour MP for Gower, Tonia Antoniazzi.

‘Local culture’

She said: “The previous government blamed the local culture of the community on the issues that were happening in the community of Bridgend – I certainly find that insulting.

“There is an issue over staff and the intimidation that they and their families have faced there.”

She urged Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood to “reinforce and support” the prison and probation services at Parc Prison “to ensure the culture in the prison changes and people are safe”.

Ms Mahmood said: “I am deeply concerned about the situation at Parc Prison. Let me pay tribute to the staff who work in that prison; I am in absolute awe of the efforts made by staff across the prison and probation services, keeping our system going under extreme pressure, with a system that has been in dire straits.”

She added that she would be happy to meet with interested MPs about the issue and said she was monitoring the situation “very closely”.

In March, South Wales Police said it could not confirm the four drug-related deaths were connected to any specific drug.

It added a fast-track process had identified the presence of Nitazene-based substances in connection with all four deaths, with Spice identified in two of the four deaths.