§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in order to avoid leaving prisons without a governor, they will ask the Prison Service to call experienced governors back from retirement on a locum basis. [HL545]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonDeputy governors are appointed with the responsibilty to manage a prison in the governor's absence. Although occasionally in 2002 there have been gaps between the departure of a governor and the appointment of a successor, I believe there has been, at most, a negligible effect on the regime during these periods. The Prison Service has no plan to re-employ retired governors to manage establishments. However, the Prison Service has been using the skills of several retired governors to act as mentors, providing guidance and advice for operational senior managers.