Warning that UK prisons ‘could collapse’ if thousands of foreign officers are forced to leave

THE UK prison system could face “collapse” under new visa rules that risk forcing thousands of officers out of work – a warning that could have serious implications for HMP Parc in Bridgend, already struggling with chronic staff shortages and mounting criticism over safety.

Confidential data obtained by ITV News shows more than 2,600 prison staff across England and Wales are foreign nationals working on right-to-work visas.

Under Home Office rules introduced in July, anyone earning below the new £41,700 salary threshold may be unable to renew their visa and could face deportation when it expires.

A source within His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service said around 2,200 of those affected are frontline officers, with the rest in administrative and support roles.

Starting salaries for prison officers range from £33,750 to £44,500, meaning many will fall below the new threshold – particularly those based outside London.

The Prison Officers’ Association has warned that the loss of so many experienced officers could “totally destabilise” the prison estate.
National chair Mark Fairhurst said: “We simply cannot afford to lose that many frontline staff. If the government does not exempt the prison service from the new salary thresholds, many prisons will not be able to function.”

The Prison Governors’ Association added that the loss of these workers would “leave a gap that cannot easily be filled,” calling the change “short-sighted and damaging”.

Potential impact on Parc

Although the Home Office has not released prison-by-prison figures, G4S run HMP Parc – Wales’s largest jail housing many prisoners from Pembrokeshire – is believed to recruit beyond the local labour market to fill vacancies.

Inspection reports have repeatedly highlighted problems with staff turnover, reliance on agency officers, and pressures caused by overcrowding and record numbers of deaths in custody.

If even a small number of Parc’s officers were affected by the new visa threshold, insiders warn it could “make a bad situation worse” at a prison already under strain.

SPECULATION continues to swirl around the future of Penally Camp, but the Home Office has reiterated this week that there are “no current plans” to use the site for asylum accommodation.

The clarification comes after renewed online rumours suggested the former military facility could once again be used to house asylum seekers.

A Home Office spokesperson told The Herald that while the department keeps “all accommodation options under review”, there are “currently no plans to reopen the Penally site.”

Political opposition reignited

The statement follows a letter sent on November 4 by local Senedd Member Samuel Kurtz to the Home Secretary, expressing “strong opposition” to any potential reuse of the camp.

Mr Kurtz cited the highly critical independent reports from its previous operation, which described conditions as “filthy,” “run-down,” and “unsuitable for long-term accommodation.”

He added that reusing the camp would “reopen old wounds” for the local community and risk repeating mistakes that should not be repeated.

Redevelopment plans under review

Penally Camp, which closed as a military facility in late 2022, was formally put up for sale in August 2023.
An “early stage observations application” for proposed residential redevelopment has been submitted to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority and is currently under consideration.

Any change of use would require full planning permission from local authorities.

Speculation follows use of other military sites

The latest speculation has been fuelled by confirmation that the UK Labour Government is using other military sites — including Cameron Barracks in Scotland and Crowborough Training Camp in England — to accommodate asylum seekers as part of efforts to reduce reliance on hotels.

Despite that wider policy, officials stress that no new decision has been made about Penally.

For now, the site remains on the market, with its future hinging on whether private redevelopment plans progress through the planning system — or whether the government later decides to revisit it as an “option under review.”

CAMPAIGNERS gathered outside the QinetiQ and Ministry of Defence testing site at Aberporth on Tuesday (Nov 5), calling for greater scrutiny of the company’s role in arms development and its reported financial links to political donors.

The protest, organised by West Wales Against Arms, featured activists wearing masks resembling international political figures and holding placards criticising QinetiQ’s work and government contracts. Signs carried slogans such as “I love QinetiQ”, “Thanks for your support Aberporth!” and “Military machine makes me money.”

Campaigners said their demonstration aimed to raise public awareness of what they described as the “connection between UK arms contracts, the conflict in Gaza, and the funding of far-right politics.”

A spokesperson for the group said: “Eighty per cent of QinetiQ’s arms profits come from contracts with the British Government, meaning taxpayers are effectively subsidising private shareholders. These profits have risen since the start of the Israeli offensive in Gaza.”

Protestors cited a Byline Times report linking QinetiQ’s largest shareholder, businessman Christopher Harborne, to Reform UK and Nigel Farage through major political donations.

One demonstrator carrying a sign reading “Welsh taxes fund QinetiQ – QinetiQ funds Reform” said the protest was about “challenging the complicity of Welsh taxpayers in arms exports used in Gaza.”

The event concluded with organisers inviting residents to attend a community meeting on the UN Day of Solidarity with Palestine (Nov 29) at Aberporth Village Hall from 11:00am. The meeting will discuss drone testing at the site and its wider implications for Wales and the Middle East.

Photo captions:
Masked protestors outside QinetiQ Aberporth (Nov 5), staging a symbolic demonstration linking arms development to political funding (Pics: Herald/West Wales Against Arms).