WATCH: Addressing the Conservative’s Prisons Crisis, Increasing Safety for Prison Staff and Reducing the Number of Care Leavers in Prisons

As a former prison officer I can talk from experience - the last Conservative government literally left the prison system at the point of collapse.

This government is working hard to unpick the decade-old mess that the last government left our prisons in.

The introduction of pava spray for prison officers working in youth estates is welcome to see, but the government must do more to increase safety for prison officers and staff across the estate.

I've asked the Prison's Minister to meet with me to discuss prison officer safety and how we can look to reduce the number of care leavers entering the prison system.