Troubled Welsh Prison Faces Calls to Halt Expansion Plans
MPs demand pause on expanding HMP Parc in Bridgend after deaths, violence, and staffing issues plague the prison
Lawmakers are calling for a pause on plans to expand one of the most troubled prisons in England and Wales, HMP Parc in Bridgend, until serious issues surrounding staff and inmate safety are addressed. The Welsh affairs committee has stated that the facility is not the right place to add more inmates after a series of crises, including 17 inmate deaths in 2024 – the highest number recorded at any prison that year.
The deaths, which were linked to drug use, self-harm, and violence, have highlighted the understaffing and safety concerns plaguing HMP Parc. In the first nine months of 2025, an additional three men died at the prison. These sobering statistics have prompted the committee to recommend that expansion plans be put on hold until the facility can address these critical issues.
Source: The Guardian
