Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 187
187
Deferred
Amend HMPPS recruitment to mandate face-to-face interviews by local governors for frontline staff
Conclusion
HMPPS must amend its recruitment process to ensure that all frontline staff, including prison officers, undergo a mandatory face-to-face interview process led by local governors. This critical step addresses the identified deficiency in governors not having direct involvement in the recruitment process. This lack of involvement limits the scrutiny necessary to prevent individuals recruited solely to facilitate criminal activity from entering the service. (Recommendation, Paragraph 92)
Government Response Summary
The government response outlined plans for research into psychosocial and pharmacological treatments for psychoactive substances and synthetic opioids, completely unrelated to the recommendation for mandatory face-to-face interviews in HMPPS recruitment.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
NHSE and MoJ will work in partnership to explore research to identify the best, evidence based psychosocial and pharmacological interventions and treatments to address behaviours that drive use of psychoactive substances and synthetic opioids. DHSC has already commissioned, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), research into psychosocial and pharmacological treatments in community settings. These have reviewed the evidence on interventions for the use of stimulants and cannabinoids, some of which are new psychoactive substances. DHSC will continue to work with NIHR along with NHSE and MoJ to consider further studies. This includes expanding research into custodial settings and placing a particular focus on synthetic opioids, which previous research has not yet covered. More widely, we are also working to improve our understanding of the risks and potential responses to these substances in criminal justice settings. MoJ is undertaking an academic evidence review on synthetic opioids in prison and probation settings, covering recovery and harm reduction, which will conclude in 2026.