Speaking in Justice Questions in the House of Commons as MPs returned to Westminster after the party conferences, the MP praised Chris Grayling for his programme of modernisation across the secure estate but asked the Government to remember 'local' prisons such as HMP Winchester, parts of which date back to Victorian times.
He says: "Local prisons are a critical part of the prison estate because they are attached to the court and Winchester, sitting as it does at the heart of the Western Circuit, is a classic case-in-point.
"I wanted to get on record with The Lord Chancellor that, while I am pleased Winchester will be part of the government's plan for a series of resettlement prisons, it will require investment in the short-term to be successful.
"Recently announced prison closures in Kingston, Dorchester and Reading are already having on impact of Winchester and it's vital that is recognised now if the turnaround team led by Governor Dave Rogers are to rescue Winchester's battered reputation after a turbulent few years."
Responding, Mr Grayling said; "I pay tribute to the team that works in Winchester. They do a first-rate job for all of us, and Winchester will, of course, continue to play an important part in our work in the Prison Service.
"We are in the process of finalising plans to change the nature of our prison estate, with the local focus described by my hon. Friend, so that we will have a network of resettlement prisons from where most prisoners will be released into the areas in which they will then live."
Winchester Prison has been the subject of a series of critical reports from the Independent Monitoring Board and HM Inspectorate of Prisons and is currently working to address identified failings before the inspectors return next year.
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You can read Steve's exchange in the Commons or watch again
HMIP report published March 2013
IMB report for 2012-23