Section three Strengthing the NPM In total, NPM members carried out at least 1,580 inspections during the year and at least 66,053 monitoring visits. NPM self-assessment NPM members conduct a self-assessment each year using methodology based on the SPT’s ‘analytical self-assessment tool for NPMs’. The tool allows NPMs to examine their effectiveness and efficiency.41 This is the fifth year in which the self-assessment has been carried out. Of the 21 NPM members, 20 completed the self-assessment and 80% of the assessments were peer reviewed. The peer review process involves NPM members sharing their responses with one another to receive constructive external review and ensure consistency of approach. The self-assessment responses were analysed in line with the three fundamental NPM powers set out in OPCAT Article 19, to: (a) examine the treatment of those deprived of their liberty; (b) make recommendations with the aim of improving their treatment and conditions; and (c) submit comments on existing and draft legislation. The following table shows the compliance NPM members reported with each of these powers. General findings Members reported full compliance with 84.3% of the self-assessment questions, a slight decrease on the 86.5% compliance reported in the previous year.42 Reported non-compliance increased to 2% from 1.6% in 2016–17. Further analysis shows that the decrease in reported compliance is largely due to additional members reporting this year than in the previous two years. Given the difference in members reporting across years, the year-on-year results should not be considered comparable. Rather, the results this year are likely to provide a more accurate picture of compliance. 41 The UK NPM’s self-assessment questionnaire can be found in Appendix 8 of the Fifth Annual Report, available at https:// s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/npm-prod-storage-19n0nag2nk8xk/uploads/2015/05/NPM-5th-Annual-Report-2013-14. pdf, accessed 21 November 2018. A full write-up of the self-assessment methodology is available at https://s3-eu-west-2. amazonaws.com/npm-prod-storage-19n0nag2nk8xk/uploads/2015/08/UK-NPM-self-assessment-write-up.pdf, accessed 21 November 2018. 42 The percentages reported in this section are calculated using the responses provided by the 20 members that completed the self-assessment (rather than the 21 total members). 35