Shadow Minister for Social Justice and Shadow Counsel General, Mark Isherwood, has called for a progress report on plans to establish the first Residential Women's Centre in Wales, the development of a new delivery model for the Welsh secure estate for justice and looked after children, and other planned developments of the justice system in Wales.
Questioning the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution in yesterday’s Welsh Parliament Plenary meeting, Mr Isherwood said:
“In your 30th September Written Statement – ‘Update on the Development of the Justice System and the Legal Sector in Wales’ - you said that, although ‘the UK Government had rejected the Thomas Commission Report's central recommendation’ regarding the devolution of Justice and Policing, 'a large number of other recommendations...are achievable under the current devolution arrangements or involve some element of devolution without transferring responsibility for justice in its entirety'.
“In this context, I note that, when I visited the North-West Regional Crime Unit early last year - a collaboration between six neighbouring police forces, including North Wales - I was told that evidence given to the Thomas Commission by the Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners in Wales was largely ignored in the Commission's Report.
“But in your 30th September statement, you also said that you expected discussions between the two Governments on a range of topics to begin shortly, ‘including disaggregated justice data for Wales; exploring the possibility of problem-solving courts in Wales; support for advice service providers; quality and location of court buildings; Welsh language provision in the justice system; and the organisation of the senior judiciary, including representation in the UK Supreme Court. What therefore is the state of play with these discussions?”
The Counsel General replied:
“It is the case that we continue to pursue the issues around the devolution of justice. But there are also many other areas that were identified in the Thomas Commission report, which have resulted, and are continuing to result, in engagement with the UK Government and with the Ministry of Justice on those areas where we can co-operate and where we can make a contribution to improve the arrangements that are already in hand.”
Mr Isherwood added:
“Three years ago, I attended the event held in Wrexham by Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service in Wales to discuss the 'Strengthening probation, building confidence' paper, under which all offender management services in Wales sit within the National Probation Service from last year; The HM Prison and Probation Service in Wales would explore options for the commissioning of rehabilitative services, such as interventions and community payback; they would build upon the unique arrangements they already have in Wales through their established prisons and probation directorate, and on existing successful local partnerships, better reflecting the devolved responsibilities of the Welsh Government.
“In your September statement this year, you said that you're 'working with Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service, the Home Office and the Police and Crime Commissioners on the Youth Justice and Female Offending Blueprints, including the establishment of a Residential Women's Centre in Wales and the development of a new delivery model for the Welsh secure estate for justice and looked after children'. What, therefore, is the current state of play regarding this?”
The Counsel General replied:
“The probation service has been through an incredibly difficult time, and again is an area where there is work that is under way in looking at the way in which it could be better co-ordinated with the various integrated services within Wales.
“But in terms of all the other areas, in terms of the residential women's centre, the Minister has already explained the progress that's been made there on the delivery models. Those discussions continue to be under way and that work is still in progress.”