Prisons: Suicide

Debate between Lord Roberts of Llandudno and Lord Harris of Haringey

Monday 25th March 2013 Lords Chamber

[Lord Roberts of Llandudno]

My Lords—

[Lord Harris of Haringey]

It must be this side’s turn eventually. I declare an interest as chair of the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody. Given the importance of properly investigating the deaths, particularly of young people but of anyone who dies unexpectedly in prison, is the Minister satisfied with the level of resources available to the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman to carry out their function and, secondly, does he not agree that it is time that the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman was made statutorily independent of the Ministry of Justice and the Prison Service?