DWYFOR Meirionnydd MP Liz Saville Roberts has claimed that women in Wales are being ill-served by the justice system and prisons do not meet the needs of Welsh citizens.

During an Opposition Day debate in the House of Commons, Plaid Cymru’s Justice and Affairs spokesperson Mrs Saville Roberts said provision for women offenders in Wales was ‘deplorable’ and called on the government to change their plans so that the proposed super prison in Wrexham better meets the needs of the people of Wales.

The MP reaffirmed her party’s opposition to the super prison but said, in the interests of improving access to justice in Wales, it needed to be adapted. She also raised concerns about the cost implications on Wales.

She said: “Provision for women who commit crimes in Wales needs to be overhauled to become fit for the 21st century. We still do not have a women’s prison in Wales, nor for that matter do we have a prison for high-risk offenders, whilst young offenders from the north are shunted across the border because of a lack of a suitable facility.

“Given that the UK Government has seemingly made its decision on the Wrexham super prison, I do believe the government could change its plans so that the prison better meets the needs of the people of Wales.

“The demand for prison places in the north of Wales is around 700, not 2,000. It would surely make sense therefore to make the best use of the new prison with a conventional prison housing 700 prisoners, and separate wings for women, young offenders and high-risk inmates.

“As things stand, the super prison does not meet the needs of Wales. It is a priority for an England-centred justice system: a monolithic ‘pack them in and pile them high’type prison to house offenders from all over the north-west of England.

“By intention it will meet the needs of north-west England, not those of north Wales.”

Liz Saville Roberts MP also questioned the wider cost impact on Wales.

She added: “Has there been a cold evaluation of the wider costs to Wales, especially to the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, which will carry the cost of providing health care to 2,100 prisoners?”

“If health care at HMS Cardiff costs £2.24m, has any estimate been made of the Wrexham care costs, and that at a prison set to house two and half times more prisoners?

“We need to know how much additional money will be made available to the health board by the UK Government via Welsh Government.”