Section two The NPM in 2019–20 In 2019–20 the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) organised multiple staff training events on the Mental Capacity Act (NI) 2016. As a result, RQIA has identified members of staff to support and guide inspection staff on the Act so that they can monitor its implementation in relation to Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards across all facilities in Northern Ireland. In March 2020, Judith Robertson, Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission, was elected as the Chair of the NPM’s Scottish sub-group. During the reporting year, SHRC and the NPM’s Scottish Assistant Coordinator worked to organise the activities of the Scottish sub-group. SHRC also led a series of training sessions for Members of Scottish Parliament on international human rights standards, including on the UN Human Rights Treaties to which the UK is a party. Joint working across the National Preventive Mechanism Working together as members of the NPM to strengthen the protection of those in detention in the UK is one of the NPM’s strategic goals. As well as collaborating during inspections and on joint NPM thematic projects, members of the NPM work together on a wide range of initiatives aimed at strengthening their OPCAT compliance and detention monitoring. Some notable examples from the year include: • CJINI conducted an inspection of police custody units in Northern Ireland with RQIA. CJINI consulted with NIPBICVS to gather information on volunteers’ findings from their regular police custody visits. In preparation for this police custody inspection, a lead inspector at CJINI shadowed police custody inspections led by HMICS in Glasgow and HMICFRS and HMI Prisons in Exeter. HMICS, HMICFRS and HMI Prisons shared their inspection methodologies with CJINI to assist in developing CJINI’s methodology for police custody inspections. • ICVA continued to coordinate the TACT network, which holds regular meetings for bodies who monitor facilities holding detainees sentenced under terrorism legislation. The TACT network includes NPM members such as the IRTL, ICVS and NIPBICVS. The network helps to ensure effective communication and joint working is in place across schemes visiting TACT facilities across the UK. • During the year, LO maintained a positive relationship with HMI Prisons. LO continued to provide HMI Prisons with custody suite reports for upcoming inspections. HMI Prisons and LO worked together during court custody inspections, and volunteers shared their feedback 71