National Preventive Mechanism Second Annual Report 2010–11 Scotland Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland (HMIPS) Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland (HMICS) Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC) Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland (MWCS) Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care2 (CC) Northern Ireland Independent Monitoring Boards (Northern Ireland) (IMBNI) Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJINI) Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) Northern Ireland Policing Board Independent Custody Visiting Scheme (NIPBICVS) Given the size of the NPM and its varied membership, HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) performs a coordinating role. The purpose of coordination is to promote cohesion and a shared understanding of OPCAT among the NPM members, to encourage collaboration and the sharing of information and good practice, and to facilitate joint activities. At the same time, however, the independence of individual members is respected, as is their ability to set their own priorities for detention monitoring. Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture At the international level, OPCAT created the Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture (SPT), a group of 25 experts currently chaired by Professor Malcolm Evans of the University of Bristol. The SPT has both an operational and advisory role. Its operational role mirrors that of NPMs: the SPT is mandated to visit places of detention in any State which has ratified OPCAT and to make recommendations to the State regarding the protection of detainees from torture and other forms of ill-treatment. In its advisory capacity, the SPT is required to advise and assist States in the establishment of NPMs and, once established, to maintain direct contact with NPMs and offer them training and assistance. To this end, the SPT recently published helpful guidelines on NPMs.3 The SPT has not yet visited the UK, although the UK NPM has established contact with it and looks forward to developing this relationship. 2 In April 2011, the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care merged with another organisation to become Social Care and Social Work Inspection Scotland (‘Care Inspectorate’). The new body retains detention monitoring powers and it is anticipated that the Care Inspectorate will be formally designated as a member of the NPM in place of the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care. 3 Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Guidelines on national preventive mechanisms CAT/OP/12/5 (9 December 2010). 8