Document Type: Annual reports

Annual Report of the Lay Observers for reporting year 1 November 2024 and 31 October 2025.

Letter from Lord James Timpson, Minister of State for Justice, to the Lay Observers National Council in response to the Lay Observers thematic report on transport.

Annual Report of the Lay Observers for reporting year 1 November 2023 and 31 October 2024.

Annual Report of the Lay Observers for reporting year 1 November 2022 and 31 October 2023.

The report summarises the main issues of concern observed during the visits in that period. It recognises the developments initiated to improve the quality of the detainees’ experience.

The report summarises the main findings gathered from LOs’ in-person visits to court custody suites and the significant distance monitoring programme which we introduced when Covid-19 restrictions prevented such visits. It covers the period of 1st April 2020 to 31st March 2021.

The report summarises the main issues of concern observed during the visits throughout the year. It recognises developments initiated to improve the quality of the detainees’ experiences. Future reports will provide a standard against which further developments can be judged. It is proposed to introduce quarterly summaries of the regular reports to highlight the current issues.

This report summarises the findings against our expectations and makes recommendations requiring action by the various bodies with a duty of care in relation to detained persons.