HL Deb 02 July 1998 vol 591 cc90-1WA
Lord Harris of Greenwich

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Further to the Answers by the Baroness Blatch on 11 December 1996 (HL Deb, cols. 1077–1078), whether it remains the policy of the present Government that Ministers of the Crown should appoint the chairmen and vice chairmen of the Boards of Visitors of prisons in England and Wales; and if so, whether it will now be reviewed. [HL2381]

Lord Williams of Mostyn

It does; all boards have been requested to hold secret ballots at their October board meetings to elect members for the posts of chairman and vice chairman. Details of the elections and the nominees for the posts will be sent to the Director's secretariat by the end of October. The secretariat will then prepare and forward submissions to the Minister of State to consider appointing the nominees to the posts of chairman and vice chairman, with effect from 1 January 1999. There are presently no plans to review this particular policy.