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All-Party Parliamentary Group on Penal Affairs

Originally formed in 1980, the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Penal Affairs aims to increase its members’ knowledge of penal affairs and to work through parliamentary channels for reform of the penal system.

The group meets regularly and hears presentations from a wide range of people and organisations. Full minutes of meetings are available in this section.

Governance of the APPGPA

At an Annual General Meeting held on 23 May 2023, Paul Maynard MP was re-elected as chair of the Group; Lord Carlile, Baroness Prashar, Marie Rimmer MP and Andrew Selous MP were re-elected vice chairs; and Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts was re-elected secretary. The group is listed in the Register of All-Party Groups. The income and expenditure statement for the Group’s reporting year is available by clicking here.

The Prison Reform Trust’s deputy director, Mark Day, is clerk to the group. Zoe Burton provides administrative assistance and Julia Braggins writes the minutes.

The Barrow Cadbury Trust kindly supports the Prison Reform Trust to provide the Secretariat to the group.

All APPPAG

October 2023 — The role of the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman

Minutes of the Meeting of the All-Party Group on Penal Affairs, held on 24 October 2023 Guest speake...
June 2023—The role of prison employment advisory boards

Minutes of the Meeting of the All-Party Group on Penal Affairs, held on 21 June 2023 Guest speaker J...
May 2023—AGM and Andrea Albutt, President of the PGA

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the All-Party Group on Penal Affairs, held on 23 May 2023 G...
February 2023 — The role of Independent Monitoring Boards (IMBs)

Minutes of the Meeting of the All-Party Group on Penal Affairs, held on 21 February 2023 Guest speak...
March 2023—The future of prisoner education

Minutes of the All-Party Group on Penal Affairs, held on 28 March 2023 Guest speakers Sarah McKnight...
January 2023 — The experience of black adult male prisoners and prison staff

Minutes of the All-Party Group on Penal Affairs, held on 17 January 2023 Guest Speakers Charlie Tayl...
November 2022 — Government priorities for prisons

Minutes of the All-Party Group on Penal Affairs, held on 29 November 2022 Guest Speaker Rt Hon Dami...
June 2022 – Where next for youth justice?

Minutes of the All-Party Group on Penal Affairs, held on 14 June 2022 Guest Speakers Claudia Sturt, ...
April 2022 – Annual General Meeting

Minutes of the Virtual Annual General Meeting of the All-Party Group on Penal Affairs, held on 26 Ap...
January 2022 – The Role of HM Prisons and Probation Inspectorates

Minutes of the virtual Extraordinary General Meeting of the All-Party Group on Penal Affairs, held on 11 January 2022 Guest Speakers: Justin Russell, HM Chief Inspector of Probation Charlie Taylor, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons
October 2021 — Parole Board

Minutes of the Virtual Round Table Meeting of the All-Party Group on Penal Affairs, held on 19 October 2021 Guest speakers Caroline Corby, Chair Martin Jones, Chief Executive Jawaid Akhtar, Parole Board Member Present Paul Maynard MP (in the Chair) Lord Carlile QC CBE Baroness Healy Baroness Ludford Paul Maynard MP opened the meeting by welcoming all participants. He described himself as a former justice minister and also a trustee of the Prison Reform Trust (PRT). This would be a slightly different APPG meeting, only for parliamentarians and the Parole Board, to enable a better understanding of how the…
April 2021 — Robert Buckland QC MP

Minutes of the Virtual Annual General Meeting of the All-Party Group on Penal Affairs, held on 20 April 2021 Guest speaker Robert Buckland QC MP Present Paul Maynard MP (in the Chair) Lord Bradley Lord Carlile Lord Dubs Lord McNally Lord Ponsonby Mark Day, clerk to the group, welcomed everybody to the meeting, which was […]
January 2021 — Chris Philp MP

Minutes of the meeting of the Virtual Meeting of the All-Party Group on Penal Affairs, held on 26 January 2021 Guest Speaker Chris Philp MP Present Lord Ramsbotham (in the chair) Lord Bradley Lord Dubs Baroness Healy of Primrose Hill Baroness Masham of Ilton Baroness Sater Rt Rev Rachel Treweek, Bishop to Prisons Ministry of […]
October 2020 — Peter Clarke HM Chief Inspector of Prisons

Minutes of the meeting of the Virtual Meeting of the All-Party Group on Penal Affairs, held on 20 October 2020 Guest Speaker Peter Clarke CVO OBE QPM, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons Present Lord Ramsbotham (in the chair) Lord Harris of Haringey Paul Maynard MP Lord Woolf of Barnes Lord Ramsbotham welcomed everyone to the […]
July 2020 — Extraordinary General Meeting

Minutes of the Extraordinary General Meeting of the All-Party Group on Penal Affairs, held on 14 July 2020, 2pm Present Lord Ramsbotham (in the chair) Paul Maynard MP Baroness Healy of Primrose Hill Baroness Masham of Ilton Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts Lord Ponsonby Lord Bradley Lord Beecham Secretariat Mark Day, Clerk, APPG on Penal […]
February 2020 — The Parole Board

Minutes of the meeting of the All-Party Group on Penal Affairs, held on 11 February 2020 Guest Speakers Caroline Corby, Chair, The Parole Board Martin Jones, Chief Executive, The Parole Board Present Victoria Prentis MP (in the chair) Lord Ramsbotham (in the chair) Earl Attlee Kate Green MP Baroness Healy of Primrose Hill Baroness Masham […]