Mr. Gareth R. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Quinquennial Review of the Northern Ireland Prison Service will be launched; and if he will make a statement. [102155]
§ Mr. IngramThe Northern Ireland Prison Service will have completed five years of operation as an executive agency on 31 March 2000 and, therefore, is subject, like other agencies, to a Quinquennial Review. I am announcing the review today and intend that it should be brought to completion by July 2000.
The review will be directed by a Steering Group under the Chairmanship of the Prison Service Fraser Figure and inclusive of an independent element.
The Steering Group will be supported by a Project Team led by a member of the Senior Civil Service from outside the Northern Ireland Prison Service. The leader of the Project Team will report to the Steering Group on a regular basis.
The review process will provide extensive opportunities for consultation with internal and external stakeholders and will follow the procedures recommended in the Guidance on the review of Agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies published by the Cabinet Office.