Progress has been made at a Welsh prison but much more needs to be done, the Welsh Affairs Committee has heard.
The committee was holding an evidence session on Parc prison, near Bridgend, which has seen 17 inmate deaths this year and a number of staff arrested on suspicion of assault and misconduct in a public office.
During the session, MPs heard from Lord Timpson, the Minister for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Re-offending, as well as senior officials from both G4S, which runs the prison, and His Majesty’s Prisons and Probation Service Wales.
Responding to the session Ruth Jones, MP for Newport West and Islwyn, and chairman of the Welsh Affairs Committee, said: “Seventeen inmate deaths in one year is not only tragic, it also creates real concern around how HMP Parc is run and the safety of the men there.
“It would appear that significant progress has been made, with no non-natural deaths occurring since June this year.
“It was encouraging to hear that Parc officials are working to improve security and that inmates are reporting that they feel safer inside.
“The minister’s announcement of a trial of vape models that are better protected against drug use is a promising step, and I expect my committee to be kept informed of the pilot’s results.
“But there is much more still to be done. New and dangerous drugs like nitazenes are a very serious problem and not just at Parc; frontline staff must be better trained to deal with these new threats proactively.
“During our visit to Parc last month, members were shocked to see tiny mobile phones being smuggled into the prison, some being specifically advertised as able to evade prison security. The government should look at this urgently. Is a change in the law needed?
“Meanwhile, if the government is to expand Parc, as was suggested today, lingering issues around staffing and healthcare must be addressed.
“My committee has asked for regular updates on this work. If no progress is shown, we will return to these issues, as we will when we begin our upcoming inquiry on offender management in Wales.”