Part of the debate – in the House of Lords at 2:50 pm on 5 February 2003.
My Lords, I had hoped that I was not striking an apologetic tone for the way in which failures notified in earlier reports have not been met and matched by effective action because that is not the case. We want to ensure that reports are acted on. This report will have to be acted on for the reasons identified by many noble Lords today, on which they have made telling points. The Prison Service has a critical and important job. These reports are important in ensuring that we direct our activity towards securing its objectives—and that we intend to do.