A proposal to increase capacity at a Welsh prison may be put on hold because of significant worries about safety and prisoner wellbeing.

An investigation by the Welsh Affairs Committee has suggested postponing the planned enlargement of HMP Parc, which would create an additional 345 spaces as part of the UK Government’s decade-long Prison Capacity Strategy.

The committee stated that a delay is required to safeguard both prisoners and staff following the deaths of 17 inmates last year, alongside persistent problems with aggression, substance abuse, and self-injury.

Ruth Jones, the Welsh Affairs Committee chair and MP, commented that the deaths of 17 prisoners throughout 2024 had exposed the troubles with suicide, self-harm and drug misuse that had been afflicting HMP Parc. She emphasised that every preventable death represents a tragedy, and therefore ensuring the safety and welfare of men serving sentences at the establishment must be central to any decisions taken by both management and ministers.

An official review in January 2025 uncovered elevated rates of violence, narcotics use and self-harm, alongside inadequate mental health and drug treatment services and staffing shortfalls. While inspectors noted improvements in certain areas, they cautioned that progress had been insufficient on more than half of their identified concerns.

The committee cautioned that proceeding with expansion risks jeopardising current reform efforts and could further threaten the safety of prisoners and personnel unless the plans receive careful reconsideration.