The Winchester & Chandler's Ford MP, who sat on the influential Justice Select Committee for much of the last Parliament, is passionate about reforming our justice system, and in particular how the country deals with rehabilitation, and took the floor to demand that the time for reform of the system "is now".
Speaking to Chancellor George Osborne, who was covering for Prime Minister, Mr Brine also highlighted that the current system was costing a fortune, and that we should not be afraid to look at other jurisdictions to find examples and new ideas to tackle this "ongoing state failure".
Mr Osborne congratulated Steve Brine, who has visited Texas to look at the very alternative system they now operate, for raising the topic, and said that while people who commit crimes should go to prison, prisons should be suitable places to rehabilitate prisoners.
He also spoke about how some of our Victorian prisons are not suitable, and that the government will close them, to build desperately needed housing in our cities, and build modern prisons on the outskirts of our cities.
It was the second time this month that Steve was able to raise the subject, as he put pressure on the Treasury team a week earlier to ensure that economic and social reform with our prison estate can go 'hand in hand', with benefits to both the country's finances and prisoner rehabilitation.
Pictured; Steve and the majority of the members of the Justice Select Committee in 2013 were able to access the Texas legal system, to see for themselves the very surprising, and successful, way they tackle rehabilitation of offenders in the Lone Star State
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