His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons

His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons is the head of HM Inspectorate of Prisons and the senior inspector of prisons, young offender institutions and immigration service detention and removal centres in England and Wales.^{[citation needed]} The current chief inspector is Charlie Taylor.^[1]

His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons of HM Inspectorate of Prisons
Emblem of HM Inspectorate of Prisons
Incumbent Charlie Taylor since 2020
Type	Senior inspector of prisons in England and Wales
Nominator	Secretary of State for Justice
Appointer	Secretary of State for Justice
Formation	1 January 1981
First holder	Philip Barry
Website	hmiprisons.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk

HM Chief Inspector of Prisons is appointed by the Justice Secretary from outside the prison service for a period of five years. The post was created by royal sign-manual on 1 January 1981 and established by the Criminal Justice Act 1982 on the recommendation of a committee of inquiry into the UK prison service under Justice May.

The chief inspector provides independent scrutiny of detention in England and Wales through carrying out announced and unannounced inspections of detention facilities. Their remit includes prisons, young offenders institutions, police cells and immigration service detention centres. They are also called upon to inspect prison facilities in Commonwealth dependencies and to assist with the monitoring of Northern Ireland prison facilities.

The chief inspector is not operationally part of His Majesty's Prison Service or the Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom), and both have been criticised at times in the reports issued by the chief inspector after prison visits, or in their annual report, delivered to the Justice Secretary and presented to Parliament. The inspectorate's independence has been interpreted differently by the different holders of the post. From the inspectorate of Stephen Tumim onwards, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons has been more willing to speak critically in public of government penal policy.

There is also a separate post of His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland, and a HM Inspectorate of Probation.

Prisons Act 1835

Prisons Act 1835[a]
Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act for effecting greater Uniformity of Practice in the Government of the several Prisons in England and Wales; and for appointing Inspectors of Prisons in Great Britain.
Citation	5 & 6 Will. 4. c. 38
Territorial extent	England and Wales[b]
Dates
Royal assent	25 August 1835
Commencement	25 August 1835[c]
Repealed	18 December 1953
Other legislation
Amended by	Prison Act 1865 Statute Law Revision Act 1874
Repealed by	Statute Law Revision Act 1953
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

The Prisons Act 1835^[a] (5 & 6 Will. 4. c. 38) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland that introduced five paid prison inspectors.

Sections 2, 5, 6, 11, and 12 of the act were repealed by section 73 of, and the third schedule to, the Prison Act 1865 (28 & 29 Vict. c. 126).

The whole act was repealed by section 1 of, and the first schedule to, the Statute Law Revision Act 1953 (2 & 3 Eliz. 2. c. 5).

HM Chief Inspectors of Prisons

• 1981–1982: Philip Barry
• 1982–1987: Sir James Hennessy
• 1987–1995: Judge Stephen Tumim
• 1995–2001: General Sir David Ramsbotham
• 2001–2010: Dame Anne Owers
• 2010–2016: Nick Hardwick
• 2016–2020: Peter Clarke
• 2020–present: Charlie Taylor

See also

• Prison Act 1877
• His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland
• Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland

Notes

1. The citation of this act by this short title was authorised by section 1 of, and the first schedule to, the Short Titles Act 1896. Due to the repeal of those provisions it is now authorised by section 19(2) of the Interpretation Act 1978.
2. Section 1.
3. The Acts of Parliament (Commencement) Act 1793.