Liberal Democrat Peer and former Deputy First Minister for Wales, Lord German, will be leading 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.
Mike German, who is the Party’s Spokesperson for Prison Reform in the House of Lords, is set to raise the issue of overcrowding in prisons and overstretched prisons staff across England and Wales, making them “a perfect crucible” for coronavirus to spread.
Speaking ahead of 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.
“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.”