HC Deb 17 January 1977 vol 924 cc34-5W
Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when and with whom he is intending to carry out consultation on assistance to inmates facing adjudication by boards of visitors; and what form the proposed experiment is to take.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

Outline proposals for the experiment are now being worked out. As soon as they are ready, it will be necessary to consult representatives of those who will provide the assistance.

Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list (a) those recommendations of the Jellicoe Committee that he intends to commend to boards of visitors and (b) those which he does not intend to commend; and what are the reasons for the latter.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

Of the 37 principal recommendations of the Jellicoe Committee, 11 are in terms which call directly for action by boards of visitors. With suitable qualifications in one or two cases I intend to commend all of these to their attention. They are numbers 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 22 and 29.

Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice he is issuing to boards of visitors and prison governors as a result of his consideration of the Jellicoe Committee's Report and that of the Working Party on Adjudication Procedure in Prison.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

This advice is being prepared.

Mr. Kilroy-Silk

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department with whom he consulted on the Jellicoe Committee's recommendation that boards of visitors should be independent; and what led him to the view that they should not be independent.

Mr. Merlyn Rees

Boards of visitors and governors were formally consulted about the Jellicoe Committee's recommendations and, before reaching my own conclusions, I took into account the opinions of others who had made their views known. There is no disagreement between the Jellicoe Committee and myself on the need for boards of visitors to maintain their independence at all times.