Yesterday Liberal Democrat Peer and former Deputy First Minister for Wales, Lord German, led a debate in the Houses of Parliament to question the Government over their inaction in stopping the spread of coronavirus across prisons in England and Wales.
Lib Dem Peer Mike German raised the issue of overcrowding in prisons and overstretched prisons staff across England and Wales, making them “a perfect crucible” for coronavirus to spread.
Ministers have refused to take the risk of coronavirus spreading through our prisons seriously.
The government must urgently address the issues of overcrowding in prisons & overstretched prison staff in order to tackle the outbreak and save lives.https://t.co/71Gi1Fakis
— Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) April 23, 2020
Speaking in his debate, Mike German said:
“Throughout the coronavirus crisis, the Liberal Democrats have repeatedly warned the Government about the dangers posed by our already overstretched prisons and prisons staff. The fact that conditions in our prisons were so already poor has made them a perfect crucible for the disease.
The Government has refused to listen to the Liberal Democrats and others pointing out the danger in not properly protecting prisoners and prison staff from the virus, meaning numbers of inmates and staff with the disease have risen dramatically.”
Overcrowding in prisons is only worsening the spread of coronavirus.
Releasing prisoners serving short sentences and suspending any new short sentences can help slow the spread of the virus and save more lives.https://t.co/pJgbYBdehv
— Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) April 23, 2020
In the debate, Mike German said that the government has three big questions to answer:
1) Has the government failed in its duty of duty of care to Prison staff and prisoners?
2) Have the government’s acts to date been too little and too late?
3) Are the government’s actions sufficient to safeguard the public from the community spread of coronavirus – has it adequately ensured that the safety of the public has not been put at risk?
Yesterday, Lib Dem Peer @mjgerman led a debate in the Houses of Parliament to question the government over their inaction in stopping the spread of coronavirus across prisons in England and Wales.
He explains on @BBCNews? pic.twitter.com/o072amj36g
— Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) April 24, 2020
By Ministers allowing coronavirus to spread through our prisons, they are not only failing in their duty of care, but threatening the public health of our communities.
The Government must stop ignoring the crisis and release all low-risk prisoners on short term sentences and suspend short term sentences without any further delay.
