§ Jane GriffithsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on the requirement for all chairs of prison boards of visitors to be appointed directly by the Home Secretary. [13317]
§ Ms QuinThe procedure whereby the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of Boards of Visitors are appointed by the Secretary of State, after consultation with the Board, follows a recommendation to that effect made in the 1995 report of the Ministerial Review of the Role of Boards of Visitors. The change in procedure was made to acknowledge the importance of these roles.