§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 July,Official Report, columns 141–42, concerning membership of boards of visitors, for what reasons the Minister proposes to remove those visitors who have served for longer than 15 years as of January 1997. [37454]
§ Miss WiddecombeIt is a general principle of public appointments that appointments should neither be renewed automatically nor renewed an indefinite number of times. This principle has recently been reaffirmed by Lord Nolan and by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
§ Mr. HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the total number of places left vacant on prison boards of visitors on 3 July; [37452]
(2) what is the estimated average length of time that unoccupied places on prison boards of visitors remain vacant. [37453]
§ Miss WiddecombeAs of 3 July, 254 vacancies were recorded for boards of visitors serving prisons in England and Wales. Information on the estimated average length of time that unoccupied places on boards of visitors remain vacant can be provided only at disproportionate cost.