Preferred candidate for the role of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Probation

The Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor confirmed today (4 December 2023) that the preferred candidate for the role of HMCIP is Martin Jones.

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Probation

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Probation (HMCIP) is the independent inspector of probation and youth offending services in England and Wales. The Inspectorate offers independent scrutiny of the quality of work undertaken with individual offenders to seek to improve outcomes for individuals and communities.

Martin Jones has been selected as the preferred candidate for the role of HMCIP following a rigorous assessment process conducted in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

The role is subject to pre-appointment hearing by the Justice Select Committee. Pre-appointment scrutiny is an important part of the appointment process for some of the most significant public appointments made by Ministers. It is designed to provide an added level of scrutiny to the appointment process. Pre-appointment hearings are held in public and allow a Select Committee to take evidence before a candidate is appointed. Ministers consider the Committee’s views before deciding whether to proceed with the appointment.