Saturday, 9 May 2020

HMP Berwyn has empty cells - why are prisoners sharing in this pandemic?

Plaid MP criticises lack of action to stop disease spreading in Welsh prisons

Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader and Home Affairs spokesperson, Liz Saville Roberts MP, has criticised the UK Government following “shocking revelations” that Ministry of Justice has not built any temporary single cells in Wales. 

This is despite the UK Government announcing on 9 April that they would build single occupancy cells across the prison estate “to limit the spread of infection and the number of deaths”.

Data revealed in Parliamentary Questions shows what Ms Saville Roberts has dubbed a “deeply dangerous lack of action” by the UK Government which has already led to 45 members of staff and 74 prisoners contracting the virus in Wales.

She had previously urged the UK Government to act after data released in April showed that 25 per cent of confirmed Covid-19 cases in prisons across both Wales and England had been in Welsh facilities, despite only having 6 per cent of the prison population.

In a separate Parliamentary Question, MS Saville Roberts uncovered that 2,847 prisoners share cells in prisons in Wales, with the highest number in so-called ‘super prison’ HMP Berwyn, with 1100 people sharing cells.

Cllr Carrie Harper, of Plaid Cymru Wrexham, said: "HMP Berwyn was built for 2200 prisoners and currently has about 1400 inmates. It's bizarre that most of them are having to share and not be a safe distance when the Covid-19 virus is so rife in Welsh prisons. 

"Why hasn't the UK Government, which runs our prison service, done more to reduce the risks both prisoners and prison officers face?"

According to research by Cardiff University the number of those held in Welsh prisons reached its highest ever level in March 2020, with HMP Swansea being the most overcrowded prison in both Wales and England.

Liz Saville Roberts MP said:

“These are shocking revelations that show a deeply dangerous lack of action to protect those that work in prisons as well as inmates.

“Mega prisons like HMP Berwyn offer near perfect conditions for an outbreak and this Conservative Government seems to have done nothing to protect those that have to work there, as well as those housed in the facility. 45 members of staff and 74 prisoners have already caught the virus – how many more must fall ill before the UK Government acts?

“Social distancing will inevitably be difficult in a prison, but it looks as if prison officers are being asked to fight this disease with one hand tied behind their back. The UK Government must act quickly to introduce the measure they themselves proposed months ago to minimise the risk to those in prison and working within the estate.”


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