Female Welsh prisoners need access to their children

3.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 18th Oct 2006

At Welsh Questions today in the House of Commons, Jenny Willott, got agreement from the Government to consider whether Wales should have provision for a female prisoners.

Commenting after Welsh Questions, Jenny said:

"Female Welsh offenders are all held in prisons in England. This means that their partners and children may have to set aside entire days to travel hundreds of miles to see them.

"My concern is this: mothers deserve access to their children and children need to be able to see their mothers regularly.

"Keeping families so far apart is very damaging for the welfare of the family and is likely to increase the chances of offending behaviour amongst the children of female prisoners, and decrease the mother's chances of successful rehabilitation.

"I am determined to push for facilities for female prisoners in Wales as part of the Government's prison review. Welsh families must not be damaged by the imprisonment of a mother many hundreds of miles from her children."