by the EEC (in January 2018) allows us to conclude that they have adopted the updated guidelines; however, individual amendments have been proposed and the team should submit them by the next EEC meeting, i.e. in February 2018. When reviewing initiatives which relate to people in social care institutions, the Ombudsman often comes across dissatisfaction with the applicable standards and norms of social services, especially as regards the staffing standards for these services. In the Response Report by the Government of the RS to the Report on the Implementation of the Duties and Powers of the National Preventive Mechanism in 2016, dated 27 July 2017, on the findings of the National Preventive Mechanism during visits to retirement homes and special social care institutions with regard to low staffing standards, especially understaffed institutions during the weekends, the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities explained that it was aware that the standards and norms of social care services must be updated. This is also one of the priority tasks of the Ministry. The Ministry explained that a working group was set up for preparing draft Rules amending the Rules on the Standards and Norms for Social Services and that the working group is planned to continue its work in 2017. The proposal for the amendments and annexations to the standards and norms of social services should also include proposals provided by the National Preventive Mechanism. This is very encouraging news and we will closely follow the implementation of the Ministry’s announcements. 1.5 Implementation of NPM recommendations No response yet No data Implemented  Rejected Accepted   recommendations Number of The implementation of the NPM recommendations is a commitment of the State Party to the Optional Protocol. According to Article 22 of the Optional Protocol, the competent authorities of the State Party must examine the recommendations of the NPM and enter into a dialogue with it on possible implementation measures. In this respect, individual topics from this field were discussed at meetings in 2017 with representatives of the responsible ministries and other bodies. In the context of preparations for drafting the guidelines and mandatory instructions for the preparation of the annual plan of the work of the police, and the planning of supervisions of the police in the observed year (as normal), we met with the Police and Security Directorate of the Ministry of the Interior and also discussed individual issues with the Director General of the Police or the General Police Directorate. We also welcomed the Director General of the Prison Administration and his colleagues for a working visit. The discussions focused on issues concerning prisoners in the Republic of Slovenia, the implementation of the Ombudsman’s recommendations regarding the initiatives posed by remand and sentenced prisoners, and the recommendations by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), the Strategy of the Prison Administration, the placement in and transfer of prisoners to less strict regimes, and staffing problems with judicial police officers. We also focused on individual problems within interministerial working groups (e.g. at the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities). Social care institutions 170 40 5 76 0 49 Special social care institutions 24 10 0 8 6 0 Psychiatric hospitals 20 12 0 6 0 2 Police stations 172 49 28 94 1 0 Aliens Centre 18 0 0 0 0 18 Residential treatment institutions 48 26 2 12 0 5 Prisons 163 67 20 49 1 26 TOTAL 615 204 55 245 8 100 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE NPM IN 2017 NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM UNDER THE OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE UN CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT 13