HC Deb 22 November 1977 vol 939 cc620-1W
Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the educational and employment experience, and the districts in which they live, of the visiting panels for Her Majesty's Prisons, at Styal and Strange-ways.

Mr. John

The present occupations of the members of the board of visitors—to which the Question, presumably, refers—at Her Majesty's Prison Manchester are: accountant; psychiatric social worker; technical assistant; headmistress; solicitors (two); director of insurance brokers; research chemist; medical secretary; planning engineer; consultant engineer; retired schoolmaster, and three housewives. Five of the members live in Manchester, three in or near Bury, two in or near Stockport and one each in Bolton, Cheadle, Failsworth, Bramhill, Rochdale and Salford.

The occupations of the members of the board of visitors at Her Majesty's Prison Styal include barrister; insurance broker; technical officer (British Rail); retired banker; university lecturer; head teacher, and four housewives. Four members live in Alderley Edge, three in Wilmslow, two in Manchester, and one each in Cheadle, Hulme, Crewe and Stockport.

Details of their education, and of their previous employment are not available.

Mr. Andrew F. Bennett

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria, such as educational qualifications, employment and residence, are taken into account when appointing people to visiting panels for Her Majesty's Prisons.

Mr. John

The principal criterion is that boards of visitors should be reasonably representative of the community and be able from experience and interest to discharge the supervisory and the disciplinary duties placed upon them. Most of those appointed live within 20 miles of the establishment and persons with all types of educational background and em

Monochrome Colour
£ £
1st June 1946–31st May 1954 2
1st June 1954–31st July 1957 3
1st August 1957–31st July 1965 4
1st August 1965–31st December 1967 5
1st January 1968–31st December 1968 5 10
1st January 1969–30th June 1971 6 11
1st July 1971–31st March 1975 7 12
1st April 1975–29th July 1977 8 18
30th July 1977 9 21