Section three The NPM in 2014–15 of their liberty, with full compliance on 76% of questions (an increase of 3%) and a decrease in non-compliance to 3% (a decrease of 5%). Specific findings • All members continued to report full compliance on self-assessment questions relating to their work to make recommendations with the aim of improving the treatment and conditions of persons deprived of their liberty and to prevent torture and ill-treatment (Q1.2), and to ensure that any confidential information acquired during their work is fully protected (Q1.56). • Lowest levels of compliance continued to be in the areas of gender balance and representation of ethnic and minority groups in visiting teams (Q1.17), strategies for preventing reprisals or threats (Q1.36), as well as information collected in group interviews (Q1.37), and follow up on cases of suspected or documented ill‑treatment or torture (Q1.50). • Progress was reported in addressing two areas of low compliance identified last year – the training that NPM staff receive to carry out their NPM role effectively (Q1.11), and cooperating with others to follow up on cases of suspected or documented illtreatment or torture (Q1.50). • As in 2013–14, lay bodies self-assessed more positively than professional bodies, stating that they were fully complaint with 88% of the questions, compared with 81% for professional bodies. • As in 2013–14, members from Northern Ireland were the most positive about their compliance with OPCAT, assessing full compliance with 90% of the questions. The least positive self-assessment was from members who inspect or monitor both England and Wales, with full compliance on 79% of the questions. Conclusions The findings from the self-assessment exercise will be presented at a future NPM business meeting to identify actions that should be taken in the areas needing progress. The UK NPM has shared its methodology with other NPMs around the world and with the UN SPT, and has been invited to provide comments on a new draft of the SPT’s self‑assessment document. 65