Women in prison service: former prison governors to give evidence
Monday 27 January 2025
Tomorrow the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee will be hearing from former prison governors and experts as it continues its inquiry into prison governance, leadership and staffing.
The session will focus on the experience of women leaders and female staff in the prison service, including their perspective working in both men’s prisons and women’s prisons.
Giving evidence will be:
- Julia Killick CBE, former Governor, HM Prison Service
- Clare Pearson, former Governor, HM Prison Service
- Professor Lynn Saunders OBE, Professor of Applied Criminology, University of Derby
- Saj Zafar, Leadership psychologist and former prison governor
Questions the committee is likely to ask during the sessions include:
- What is the role of a prison governor?
- What are the qualities needed to be a leader in a women’s prison, and are they different from those needed for leaders (men and women) working in men’s prisons?
- Has the attitude towards women in operational roles in the prison service changed in recent years?
- What is more important in shaping attitudes – the culture of a particular prison or the culture of HM Prison Service as a whole?
- How has the culture of the prison service been affected by changes in its overall governance?
- Are women leaders in the prison service well supported?
- Is there any support or development programmes specifically for female staff?
- Are there particular challenges associated with the retention of female staff, particularly at prison officer level?
- What are the challenges for the prison service when looking after women prisoners?
The sessions will take place on Tuesday 28 January 2025 at 10:30am and can be followed live on Parliament TV.
