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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 extraordinary general meeting held on 14 December 2023, Andrew Selous MP was elected chair of the group. He replaced Paul Maynard MP who stood down as chair following his appointment as a pensions minister.

The Annual General Meeting of the Group was held on 23 May 2023. The other officers of the group are vice chairs Lord Carlile, Baroness Prashar, Marie Rimmer MP; and secretary Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts. 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.

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All APPPAG

  • June 2013 — AGM and Jeremy Wright MP

    Minutes of the All-Party Penal Affairs Parliamentary Group held on 4 June 2013 Speaker: Jeremy Wright MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice   Present Lord Ramsbotham, in the chair Crispin Blunt MP Lord Bradleye Lord Dholakia Lord Fellowes Paul Goggins MP Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts Baroness Howe of Idlicote Lord Judd Baroness Linklater […]

  • May 2013 — The Role Of The DPP and Crown Prosecution Service

    Minutes of the All-Party Penal Affairs Parliamentary Group on 14 May 2013 Prosecuting in the public interest? The role of the DPP and the Crown Prosecution Service Speaker: Keir Starmer QC, Director of Public Prosecutions. Present Paul Goggins MP, in the chair Baroness Berridge Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone Lord Carlile QC Baroness Howe of Idlicote Baroness […]

  • April 2013 — Probation

    Speakers: Sebert Cox OBE, Chairman, Probation Association Sue Hall OBE, Chair, Probation Chiefs Association Lord Ramsbotham, in the chair Present Tom Blenkinsop MP Jenny Chapman MP Pat Glass MP Paul Goggins MP Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts Baroness Howe Bishop of Liverpool Earl of Listowel Claire Perry MP Ian Swales MP Mike Wood MP Lord […]

  • March 2013 — Mentoring

    Minutes of the All-Party Penal Affairs Parliamentary Group, held on 5 March 2013 at 5.00 pm in Committee Room 6, House of Commons Mentoring Offenders Speakers: Madeleine Rudolph, Commissioning Advisor – Mentoring, Volunteering and Service User Engagement, Ministry of Justice (NOMS) Jane Barkes, Project Manager of the Footprints (Mentoring) Project for Ex Offenders returning to […]

  • February 2013 — Prisons, Probation And The Rehabilitation Revolution

    Minutes of the All-Party Penal Affairs Parliamentary Group, held on 5 February 2013 at 5.00 pm in Committee Room 6, House of Commons Speaker: Michael Spurr, Chief Executive Officer, National Offender Management Service Present Lord Ramsbotham, in the chair Lord Davies of Oldham Paul Goggins MP Lord Grocott Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts Baroness Howe […]

  • December 2012 — Neurology, Acquired Brain Injury and Criminal Justice

    Minutes of the All-Party Penal Affairs Parliamentary Group, held on 4 December 2012 at 5.00 pm in Committee Room 4, House of Lords Speakers: Professor Huw Williams, Centre for Clinical Neuropsychology Research, University of Exeter, and Dr Maggie Atkinson, The Children’s Commissioner for England Present: Lord Ramsbotham, in the chair Paul Goggins MP Lord Hodgson […]

  • October 2012 — Criminal Cases Review Commission

    Minutes of the All-Party Penal Affairs Parliamentary Group, held on 23 October 2012. Speaker: Richard Foster CBE, Chair, Criminal Cases Review Commission Present: Paul Goggins MP, in the chair Peter Bottomley MP Lord Fellowes Lord Toby Harris Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts Baroness Howells of St Davids Baroness Veronica Linklater Lord Low Baroness Masham Baroness […]

  • July 2012 — Restorative Justice

    Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the All-Party Penal Affairs Parliamentary Group held on 3 July 2012 at 5.00 pm in Committee Room 6 The Future Place of Restorative Justice in the Criminal Justice System Speakers: Lord McNally, Minister of State, Ministry of Justice Lizzie Nelson, Director, Restorative Justice Council Javed Khan, Chief Executive, […]

  • June 2012 — Prisons And Probation Ombudsman

    Minutes of the All-Party Penal Affairs Parliamentary Group, held on 19 June 2012 at 5.00 pm in Committee Room 6 The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman: Pursuing fairness and safety in custody in challenging times Speaker: Nigel Newcomen CBE, The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman for England and Wales Present: Paul Goggins MP, in the chair Lord […]

  • May 2012 — Youth Justice Board

    Minutes of the All-Party Penal Affairs Parliamentary Group, held on 15 May 2012 at 5.00 pm in Committee Room 6 Speaker :Frances Done CBE, Chair, Youth Justice Board for England and Wales With John Anthony, Youth Justice Board Present Paul Goggins MP, chair Lord Bradley Lord Dholakia Lord Elton Lord Judd Baroness Linklater of Butterstone […]

  • April 2012 — Working In Prison

    Minutes of the All-Party Penal Affairs Parliamentary Group, held on 24 April 2012 at 5.00 pm in Committee Room 6 Speakers: Eoin McLennan-Murray, President, Prison Governors Association and PJ McParlin, National Chairman, POA Lord Bradley opened the meeting, explaining that he had been asked to chair the session in the absence of the Co-Chairs. He was very pleased […]

  • March 2012 — Public Or Private Sector Prisons?

    Minutes of the All-Party Penal Affairs Parliamentary Group, held on 6 March 2012 at 5.00 pm in Committee Room 6 Speakers – from the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge Professor Alison Liebling, Director of the Prison Research Centre, and Dr Ben Crewe, Penology Director and Deputy Director, Prison Research Centre. Download the slides from […]

  • January 2012 — Prison And Community Chaplaincy

    Minutes of the All-Party Penal Affairs Parliamentary Group, held on 24 January 2012 at 5.00 pm in Committee Room 6 Multi-faith prison chaplaincy and community chaplaincy Speakers from Chaplaincy HQ, National Offender Management Service: The Revd Canon Michael Kavanagh, Anglican Advisor Mr Ahtsham Ali, Muslim Advisor Paul Goggins MP opened the meeting on behalf of Lord […]

  • October 2011 – Community Justice

    Minutes of the All-Party Penal Affairs Parliamentary Group, held on 18 October 2011 at 5.00 pm in Committee Room 8 Community Justice Speakers: Lord Dholakia, Inquiry Panel Chairman John Thornhill, Magistrates’ Association Chairman and Inquiry Panel Member Lord Ramsbotham opened the meeting on behalf of Lord Corbett, who was unwell and had sent his apologies. […]

  • June 2011 – AGM and Kenneth Clarke MP

    Speaker: The Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke MP, QC, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice Kenneth Clarke MP, Secretary of State began by thanking the chair for inviting him and saying how glad he was to be there. He said he was not going to talk for long because he preferred to answer questions. He […]

  • June 2011 – Arts in prison

    Speakers: Tim Robertson, Chair of the Arts Alliance and Chief Executive of the Koestler Trust, and two former prisoners, Francesca and John, talking about how the arts have impacted upon their lives. Lord Ramsbotham welcomed everyone, in his capacity as Vice Chair of the Penal Affairs Group, to a joint meeting with the Arts and Heritage […]

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