Parc Prison now much more stable, says minister

At least four of the deaths are believed to be drug-related.

South Wales Police said in March that a Nitazene – a synthetic opioid drug – had been identified in connection with all four deaths.

The force said spice, another synthetic drug, had been identified in two of the four deaths.

G4S has previously said it has a “zero-tolerance policy towards drugs”.

Families of inmates who died while in a prison protested outside the facility in May saying they wanted answers from authorities following claims of drug misuse within the jail.

At Social Justice Questions in the Welsh Parliament on Wednesday, Conservative Senedd member Altaf Hussain raised concerns about healthcare in Parc.

In response, Social Justice Secretary Jane Hutt said that her thoughts were with staff and families over the “deeply concerning” deaths in custody earlier this year.

She said she met the head of Welsh prisons and probation, Ian Barrow, last month and he had given her “reassurances on the progress made at Parc” since the appointment of a new boss there and “my understanding from that meeting is that Parc has made considerable progress since the spring”.

“It’s now, much more stable,” she said.

She added that she would be visiting the prison with the new UK government prisons minister Lord Timpson on 30 September.

HMP Parc is one of the UK’s largest category B prisons, holding convicted male adult and young offenders, as well as convicted sex offenders or those awaiting trial for sex offences.