PRESS RELEASE : Colin Allars appointed as Chair of the Independent Restraint Review Panel [December 2022]

The Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Rt Hon. Dominic Raab MO has announced the appointment of Colin Allars as the Chair to the Independent Restraint Review Panel (IRRP) for 3 years. His appointment will commence on from 1 January 2023 and run until 31 December 2025.

The Independent Restraint Review Panel (IRRP) was set up in response to Charlie Taylor’s review of pain-inducing techniques in the youth estate in 2016. The IRRP reviews incidents at youth custody sites when serious injuries or warning signs have been identified, or where a pain inducing technique has been deployed. In addition to the mechanics of restraint, the IRRP can make observations about behaviour management and staff behaviour and leadership. Although the IRRP is not regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, the principles of the Governance Code are being adhered to during all aspects of this campaign.

Biography

Colin Allars was appointed as interim Chair of the Independent Restraint Review Panel on 24 May 2021. Mr Allars is also the Non-Executive Chair of the Government Facilities Services (GFSL), appointed in 2018. From 2016 until his retirement from the Ministry of Justice in May 2021, he was the Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Board.