Pre-appointment hearing for Prisons and Probation Ombudsman
The Justice Committee holds a pre-appointment hearing with the Government’s preferred candidate for Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, Adrian Usher, on Tuesday 24 January.
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman is responsible for carrying out independent investigations into deaths in custody and complaints made by prisoners, young people in detention, offenders under probation supervision or individuals detained under immigration powers. The purpose of these investigations is to understand what happened and to correct any injustices that may have occurred. The PPO also identifies key areas of learning for the organisations it oversees to develop a safer, fairer custody regime.
Meeting details
A pre-appointment hearing is an opportunity for a select committee to scrutinise the quality of ministerial decision making over appointments. It will also assess the candidate’s suitability for their appointment, including their knowledge, skills and independence. The Committee will then publish a short report on the proposed appointment in the days following the session.