The head of the prison service, Michael Spurr, has been told to step down from the role amid an ongoing crisis in jails in England and Wales.
Although Spurr will remain chief executive of HM Prisons and Probation Service until the end of March next year, the Guardian understands he was told by the Ministry of Justice’s permanent secretary, Richard Heaton, he had to go.
A source said: “He’s not been without his critics. A change of direction was needed.”
However, prison reform campaigners praised Spurr’s efforts and said ministers were “deluding themselves” if they thought a change of leader would fix overcrowded and under-resourced prisons.
And former Labour justice secretary, Charlie Falconer, said Spurr had been “dealt as shitty a hand by the government as it is possible to deal”.
Michael Spurr is a terrific impressive decent public servant who has given his working life to prison and probation, and has been dealt as shitty a hand by the government as it is possible to deal. https://t.co/E30ObAfZcM
— Charlie Falconer (@LordCFalconer) September 20, 2018
The announcement of his departure comes after a series of damning prison inspections. Spurr, who has been with the prison service for 35 years, including nine years leading it, has faced criticism over the mounting crisis, with the parliament’s justice committee attacking his “lack of leadership”.
He joined the service as a prison officer in 1983 before working his way up through a series of posts as a governor and then becoming head of the service.
Peter Dawson, director of the Prison Reform Trust, said: “Michael Spurr will be an extraordinarily hard act to follow. He is an exceptionally principled and knowledgeable leader who has selflessly served an endless succession of short-term ministers.
“Whoever takes over will face the same fundamental problems of overcrowded and under -resourced prisons. Those are problems which only ministers can address and none of those whom Michael has served so faithfully have delivered. Anyone who thinks the problems in our prisons can be solved by a change of leader is deluding themselves.”
The formal process to appoint Spurr’s successor will start next month, although it is understood the permanent secretary is to review the top management structure of the Prison Service.
In a statement, Heaton said: “Michael is an exceptional public servant. His commitment to the organisation he leads and to a humane and effective offender management system has been unflinching, through a period when the system has faced extraordinary pressures, challenges and constraints.
“Michael’s leadership has been exemplary. But we now need to look ahead, building on Michael’s work and developing a strategy for the next decade. I have therefore decided that April 2019 is the right time to ask a new chief executive to take on this important role.”
Justice secretaries have been handed four urgent notices by the prison inspectorate in the last year – for jails in Exeter, Nottingham, Birmingham and Bedford. It is the most serious level of action the inspectorate can take over conditions in a prison it inspects.
In the case of HMP Birmingham, the jail was taken off the hands of its private operator, G4S, and returned to state control for at least six months as officials battle to reduce violence, drug use and disorder.
David Gauke, the justice secretary, said: “I am extremely grateful to Michael Spurr for his leadership of HMPPS. His focus has been unwavering on doing the best for his staff and for victims of crime, on discipline in the prison estate and on caring for and rehabilitating offenders. He is an example of the very best of public service and civil service leadership. I look forward to continuing to work closely with Michael into the new year.”
The number of assaults against prison officers continued to rise in the most recent batch of official figures, which revealed 9,003 assaults on staff in the 12 months to March, up 26% from the previous year.
Last week thousands of prisons officers staged a walkout in protest at health and safety violations they allegedly face from working in such conditions. The walkout was brought to an end after a threat of legal action from the government, which said the protest was illegal and irresponsible.
