Watford MP, Claire Ward, has wasted no time in settling into her new job as a Minister in Jack Straw's Ministry of Justice.
As part of her responsibilities she has announced the appointment of the six members of the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody, part of the new Ministerial Council on Deaths in Custody.
Ms Ward said: ‘I congratulate all six members on their appointments. They were selected from a very strong field of applicants. The panel members bring with them a wealth of experience and knowledge that will enable them to make a great contribution in this very important area.
‘The Panel’s role will be to help shape government policy in relation to deaths in custody through the provision of independent advice and expertise to the Ministerial Board on Deaths in Custody.’
Lord Toby Harris, the inaugural Chair of the Independent Advisory Panel, said:‘I see the IAP as having an important role in reducing the number and rate of deaths in custody and look forward to working with the Panel members on this agenda in the future.’
Claire was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State on 9 June 2009 as part of Gordon Brown's re-shuffle of his Parliamentary team. She previously served in the Whips’ Office as Vice Chamberlain of Her Majesty’s Household and Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury. She was Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Minister for
the NHS (2001-05) and a member of the select committee for Culture, Media and Sport.
Her responsibilities in her new job are as follows:
•Criminal Justice Group (offender management strategy – joint with Maria Eagle)
•Office for Criminal Justice Reform (joint with Home Office ministers and the Attorney General) and sponsorship of
Criminal Cases Review Commission and Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority
•Criminal Justice System Volunteering Ministerial Champion
•ID card implementation
•Tackling Knives Action Programme
•National Crime Reduction Board – representing the Ministry of Justice – and London Local Criminal Justice Board
•NOMS operational policy and casework
◦Independent Monitoring Board (appointments, transfers, reports etc)
◦Mental Health (including Bradley implementation)
◦public protection
◦HM Inspectorate of Prisons reports
◦NOMS compensation claims
◦NOMS freedom of information
◦safer custody
Further information can be obtained from the Ministry of Justice website by clicking here.
June 19th 2009
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