Committees

Prison reform: empowering governors to improve prison performance?

8 December 2016

The Justice Committee hears from the governors of the six 'reform prisons', established by the Government as part of its ambitious reform programme, who have had greater control over the operational and financial management of their prisons since 1 July 2016.

Witnesses

Wednesday 14 December 2016, Thatcher Room, Portcullis House

At 9.45am

  • Ian Bickers, Executive Governor, HMP Wandsworth
  • Nick Pascoe, Executive Governor, HMP High Down and HMP Coldingley
  • Ian Blakeman, Executive Governor, HMP Holme House and HMP&YOI Kirklevington Grange
  • Neil Richards, Executive Governor, HMP Ranby
  • Louise Spencer, Governor, HMP High Down 
  • Nigel Hirst, Governor, HMP Ranby

Prison Safety and Reform White Paper

The Prison Safety and Reform White Paper published on 3 November states that the Ministry aims to build on the devolution of powers rolled out in the six reform prisons from April 2017, giving governors:

  • Authority to do their own workforce planning
  • Greater power of service provision in their prison, devolving control over education, work, family ties, offender behaviour and resettlement programmes, and greater influence over healthcare provision
  • Greater authority to decide how to spend their own budget
  • Devolved decision making powers on key operational policies, so that they can make better use of tools such as Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) to allow prisoners to engage in purposeful activity such as work, as part of their sentence.

The session will also consider the Ministry's proposals to change how prison performance is measured, focusing on four quality standards: 

  • Public protection
  • Safety and order – reduction in assaults and self-harm
  • Reform – health and substance misuse; work; education; contact with families
  • Preparing for life after prison – including measuring employment, education and accommodation on release

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Further information

Image: Ministry of Justice