Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what research his Department has (a) conducted or (b) commissioned on whether the correct legal procedures are being followed in relation to adjudications in prisons.

Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service conduct regular audits of prisons which include examining whether staff employed on adjudication duties are properly trained and competent to carry out these procedures. It also reviews whether or not governors are reviewing the conduct of adjudications to ensure that they are fair, lawful and just, that punishments are normally within locally published guidelines and proportionate, and that no prisoner is charged or punished for any other reason than their disciplinary behaviour.

Any deficiencies feature in the audit report and contribute to the overall audit rating for the establishment. Prison Group Directors also use the audit report to monitor any remedial action and challenge poor practice.