Probation and prison head told to stand down over crisis

THE HEAD of the prison and probation system in England and Wales has been asked to stand down, amid an ongoing crisis in jails.

The Ministry of Justice announced that Michael Spurr will leave his role as chief executive of HM Prison and Probation Service at the end of March 2019 following a 35 year career in the sector.

His departure comes a month after prisons minister Rory Stewart admitted acute problems with drugs and violence in a number of publicly-run prisons, and said he would resign if the situation was not improved within a year.

Thousands of prison officers walked out for six hours last week in a protest at “unprecedented violence” in British jails.

In a statement announcing his departure, Justice Secretary David Gauke said: “I am extremely grateful to Michael Spurr for his leadership of HMPPS.

“His focus has been unwavering on doing the best for his staff and for victims of crime, on discipline in the prison estate and on caring for and rehabilitating offenders.

“He is an example of the very best of public service and civil service leadership. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Michael into the New Year.”

The process of appointing a successor will begin in October.

Peter Dawson, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said: “Whoever takes over will face the same fundamental problems of overcrowded and under-resourced prisons. Those are problems which only ministers can address and none of those whom Michael has served so faithfully have delivered. Anyone who thinks the problems in our prisons can be solved by a change of leader is deluding themselves.”

Mr Spurr, who was paid between £145,000 and £150,00 in 2017/18, started his career as a prison officer at HMP Leeds in 1983.