Skip to main content

Written question asked by Lord Stunell (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 10 March 2015, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 19 March 2015 (named day). It was answered by Shailesh Vara (Conservative) on Thursday, 19 March 2015 on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.


Prison Visitors

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve the recruitment, training, management and deployment of Official Prison Visitors; and if he will make a statement.

Answer

Official Prison Visitors (OPVs) help maintain important links between prisoners and the community by visiting and offering friendship. This is often, but not always, where prisoners have no other visitors.

OPVs are appointed locally by Governors, and Directors of contracted prisons, and their training is also a local matter. There are no plans to change this approach. It is open to OPVs to join the National Association of Official Prison Visitors, which is an independent organisation that promotes, maintains and supports Official Prison Visiting. It also helps to encourage and co-ordinate the work of OPVs both at local and national level.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
226924
Session
2014-15
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Prison visitors
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk