© Zack Griffiths & Tom Blewitt
A shocking parliamentary report has ripped the lid off a deepening crisis inside HMP Parc, exposing a prison system drowning in deaths, drugs and dangerous failures — with G4S now facing fierce criticism and growing public pressure to get a grip before more lives are lost.
The hard-hitting report from the Welsh Affairs Committee paints a grim and deeply troubling picture of what has been happening behind the walls of HMP Parc. With 17 deaths recorded in 2024 — the highest number in any prison across England and Wales — MPs have effectively sounded the alarm, warning that serious safety failures and weak controls have allowed the situation to spiral out of control.
At the centre of the storm is G4S, the private security giant trusted to run the prison. The committee’s findings make it clear that while some improvements have been attempted, the scale of failure and the slow pace of reform raise serious questions about whether enough has been done to protect prisoners, staff and the wider public.
The report highlights a prison struggling with a toxic mix of drugs, violence and self-harm, with powerful synthetic substances like nitazenes continuing to circulate inside the facility. Drones delivering drugs directly into cells through windows have turned security into a dangerous game of catch-up, exposing what critics say are unacceptable weaknesses in basic prison control measures.
MPs did not hold back in their concerns. Inspections found HMP Parc had deteriorated across every key category — safety, respect, purposeful activity and rehabilitation — painting a picture of an institution under intense strain. High levels of violence, rising self-harm, overstretched healthcare and staffing pressures have left the prison battling to maintain order and stability.
Perhaps most alarming is the warning that improvements are simply not happening fast enough. While new leadership has been acknowledged for attempting to steady the ship, the committee made it clear that progress remains limited and fragile. In several areas, improvements were judged insufficient, meaning the risks inside the prison remain very real.
The controversy deepens further with government plans to expand HMP Parc by more than 300 additional prison places. MPs warned that pushing ahead with expansion while safety concerns remain unresolved could make an already dangerous situation worse, putting both inmates and staff at even greater risk. The committee has strongly urged ministers to pause expansion plans until the prison is brought under proper control.
With such a damning report from the committee it’s shocking to consistent G4S can be trusted to look after kids in their care between 15-18
Critics argue that this raises a wider question about private companies running public prisons. When a facility records the highest number of deaths in the country and continues to struggle with drugs and violence, serious accountability must follow. Running a prison is not just a contract — it is a responsibility for human lives, public safety and justice.
The report sends a stark and uncompromising message: the current situation at HMP Parc is unacceptable. Urgent reform, stronger oversight and rapid action are now essential if confidence is to be restored and further tragedy avoided.
Hmp prisons justice group renews its calls to arrest all the directors at parc Janet wallsgrove, Heather whitehead and William styles ( still will ) who has equally presided over the highest death rate in the uk prison system ever.
The public deserves to know that prisons are safe, controlled and properly managed. Families deserve to know that loved ones will not be lost in a system that failed to protect them. Staff deserve to work in an environment where safety is not constantly under threat.
Parliament has now spoken — and the message is loud and clear.
The government must act to save lives.
And change at HMP Parc must happen immediately before this crisis claims more lives.
HMP Prisons Justice Group 