National Preventive Mechanism Seventh Annual Report 2015–16 meeting, NPM members accepted the panel’s recommendation to appoint John Wadham as the new chair of the NPM. This is a significant development for the NPM. John Wadham took up the role on 12 May 2016. Prior to the appointment of the chair, and in view of the departure of Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons (England and Wales) in February 2016, the NPM steering group proposed that David Strang, Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland, act as interim chair. He carried out this role from January to May 2016. NPM coordination Coordination is essential to the full and effective implementation of OPCAT in the UK, given the scale and complexity of the UK NPM’s unusual multi-body structure. Each NPM member has a different mandate, powers and geographical remit and sets its own priorities for detention monitoring as well as contributing to joint NPM priorities. HMI Prisons fulfils the role of NPM coordination and this function is performed with the purpose of: • promoting cohesion and a shared understanding of OPCAT among NPM members; • encouraging collaboration and the sharing of information and good practice between UK NPM members; • facilitating joint activities between members on issues of common concern; • liaising with the SPT, other NPMs and other relevant international human rights bodies; 12 • sharing experience and expertise between the UK NPM and NPMs in other states; • representing the NPM as a whole to government and other stakeholders in the UK; • preparing the annual report and other publications. The coordination function, activities and governance of the NPM are overseen by a steering group of five NPM members who meet regularly and are representative of members in all four nations of the UK and the different remits of organisations that make up the NPM. NPM steering group The NPM steering group supports decisionmaking between business meetings, and develops the NPM business plan and proposals to members. The steering group met three times during the year (May, September, and February). In November 2015, HMIC ended its term on the steering group and was replaced by ICVA. At the same time, RQIA and HMIPS were re‑elected for a second term. As of March 2016, the NPM steering group membership was as follows: • • • • • Peter Clarke, HMI Prisons Theresa Nixon, RQIA David Strang, HMIPS Kevin Barker, CSSIW Katie Kempen, ICVA