Justice Minister Visits Bridgend

Rt Hon David Hanson MP Visits Bridgend to Listen & Learn

David Hanson

Justice Minister, Rt Hon David Hanson MP recently visited Bridgend on the invitation of local MP Madeleine Moon.

David Hanson who has broad ranging responsibilities which include, oversight of criminal law; prisons; probation; sentencing policy and youth justice visited Sandville self help centre in Ton Kenfig to see the good work undertaken with Community Service Volunteers (CSV) and the Probation community punishment teams.

While most people locally know of the excellent services provided at Sandville to those with poor health, the work undertaken with CSV is mostly unrecognised. Since 1984 the CSV pre-release scheme has been funded by the prison service and offers full time volunteer placements for 28 days, during the last three months of a prisoners sentence. Since Sandville commenced working with CSV 30 prisoners have successfully been placed at the self help centre working alongside other volunteers.

Madeleine Moon MP commented that: ‘Sandville is a wonderful organisation which continues to undertake valuable work with offenders. Having read some of the letters sent by prisoners who volunteered at Sandville I know the role they have played in changing lives. I felt it was important that the Minister was able to see the innovative work that they do first hand.’

Following the visit to Sandville, David Hanson took part in a Question and Answer session at Parc prison with representatives from across the local criminal justice services, ranging from voluntary sector service providers to the police and probation to the Local Authority and offender management teams in Parc prison.

The event was a great opportunity for local stakeholders to ask questions directly of the Minister on a range of issues relating to his broad responsibilities, as well as to highlight the good work being undertaken locally.

Madeleine Moon commented: ‘We are fortunate locally to have very dedicated people working in the field of criminal justice and to have some innovative partnerships tackling criminal behaviour and rehabilitation. It was good to have the opportunity to have local input into the Minister’s thinking on issues he will soon be addressing at Westminster.’

Rt Hon David Hanson MP commented:

The visit to Bridgend arose following one of Madeleine’s many questions in the Common’s to the Ministry of Justice and an invitation to see for myself the work being carried out locally. It has been a most useful and interesting visit.