4th Report - Criminal justice inspectorates

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The Lord Chancellor and the Attorney General support protocols setting out terms of engagement with the inspectorates, but propose using the HM Inspectorate of Prisons protocol only as a guide and not as a blueprint.

• The Lord Chancellor says the inspectorates and the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman have been granted "enhanced authority to recruit staff without the need to seek approval from the Ministry of Justice".
• A protocol with HM Chief Inspector of Prisons is planned. The Lord Chancellor says he is "planning to consult the Committee in the summer and publish a draft protocol this autumn", and agrees with the recommendation for wider consultation.
• On using the prisons protocol as a blueprint, both letters propose it as a guide and check point only, because the bodies differ in form, function and statutory basis.
• The Attorney General says officials are working with HMCPSI on a protocol that "will be concluded shortly and will then be published", and that he will ensure the Committee is provided with it.

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