Role details

UK Member of the European Committee on the Prevention of Torture

Application deadline 6 November 2024

Summary

• Organisation: UK Member of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture
• Sponsor department: Ministry of Justice
• Location: Outside of the UK
• Sectors: Judicial, Prisons & Policing
• Skills: Legal, Regulation
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Time commitment: 40 day(s) per annum
• Remuneration: £157 to £471 per day
• Length of term: 4 years
• Application deadline: 11am on 6 November 2024

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   15 October 2024

2. Application deadline

   11am on 6 November 2024

3. Sifting date

   20 November 2024

4. Interviews expected to end on

   16 December 2024

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the role

Introduction from the Secretary of State

Dear Candidate, 

Thank you for your interest in becoming the UK Member of the Council of Europe’s Committee on the Prevention of Torture (CPT).  

This is a highly demanding but ultimately rewarding role which presents a rare opportunity for the right candidate to contribute significantly to the CPT’s objective of preventing torture, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment through visiting places of detention.  

The UK is committed to the principles of the Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (the Convention) under which the CPT is established and to engaging with the CPT to facilitate their work. The UK has a robust system of monitoring and inspection of custodial settings domestically, and internationally we strongly support the work of bodies such as the CPT.

I consider this significant and important role should be filled by an outstanding candidate and welcome applicants from the widest possible field.   

The individual, ultimately elected by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers, must be able to demonstrate the utmost integrity and have the ability to act impartially and independently. You will be available to serve the CPT effectively through robust analysis of evidence and the development of reasoned recommendations to deliver this challenging role. 

In return, you can expect a rewarding and reputable position with the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse range of people from all walks of life, and to make a practical difference to the protection of human rights across Europe.  

I hope you will consider applying for this important position. 

If after reading the material you have further questions about any aspect of this post, you are welcome to speak to Robert Ritchie on 07870 819143 at the Ministry of Justice. If you have questions about the appointment process, you can contact the Public Appointments Team at: PublicAppointmentsTeam@Justice.gov.uk. 

If you believe you have the experience and qualities we are seeking, we very much look forward to hearing from you. 

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede

Role description

The UK member of the CPT will be expected to:

• Ensure that protection of persons deprived of their liberty against torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment is strengthened by non-judicial means through visits and preventive measures;
• Contribute to the successful achievement of the objectives of the CPT and its role within the Council of Europe;
• Contribute to drawing up reports on the facts found during visits, taking account of any observations that may have been submitted by the State Party concerned;
• Maintain confidentiality of the facts and information of which the CPT becomes aware during discharge of its functions; and
• Liaise regularly with the members of the UK Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

Organisation description

The CPT organises visits to places of detention, in order to assess how persons deprived of their liberty are treated. These places include prisons, juvenile detention centres, police stations, holding centres for immigration detainees, psychiatric hospitals, social care homes, etc.

CPT delegations have unlimited access to places of detention, and the right to move inside such places without restriction. They interview persons deprived of their liberty in private, and communicate freely with anyone who can provide information.

After each visit, the CPT sends a detailed report to the State concerned. This report includes the CPT’s findings, and its recommendations, comments and requests for information. The CPT also requests a detailed response to the issues raised in its report. These reports and responses form part of the ongoing dialogue with the States concerned.

The CPT’s full title is the “European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment”. This highlights two important features: first, it is European, and second, it not only covers “torture”, but also a whole range of situations which could amount to “inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”.

About the CPT - CPT (coe.int)

Board composition

CPT Members - CPT (coe.int)

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Professional skills and experience in an area relevant to the work of the CPT, such as:
• policing and administration of places of deprivation of liberty, including police stations, prisons and psychiatric institutions;
• forensic science;
• relevant medical issues (e.g. psychiatry or mental health, clinical psychology, clinical forensics, paediatric or geriatric medicine, or public health and infectious diseases);
• international human rights law, humanitarian and refugee law, or administrative law; or
• the administration of justice (e.g. former prosecutors or judges, or experts in juvenile justice)
• Evidence of high moral character, impartiality and independence, including an understanding and commitment to the Nolan Principles;
• Ability to impartially identify, collect and analyse evidence in context of the work of the CPT, including sometimes distressing evidence, and to understand and communicate the limitations of evidence sources;
• Ability to develop reasoned conclusions and/or recommendations from evidence, and to present these findings in written reports in English and/or French (the working languages of the CPT);
• Strong skills in communication, negotiation and working as part of a team, with the ability and confidence to gain respect, influence others and challenge opinions where necessary; and
• Availability to participate fully in the work of the CPT, including by attending meetings and taking part in at least two visits each year.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of visiting, monitoring or inspecting detention facilities; and
• Proficiency in another European language/s (particularly French, which together with English is a working language of the CPT).

Application and selection process

How to apply

In order to apply you will need to create an account or sign in.

Once you are logged into your account, click on 'apply for this role' and follow the on-screen instructions. To apply, all candidates are required to provide:

• a Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• a supporting statement
• equality information
• information relating to any outside interests or reputational issues

We will ask you to check and confirm your personal details to ensure your application is accurate.

You will also have the opportunity to make a reasonable adjustment request or apply under the disability confident scheme before you submit your application.

The Advisory Assessment Panel reserves the right to only consider applications that contain all of the elements listed above, and that arrive before the published deadline for applications.

Overview of the application process

Public appointments are made on merit following a fair and open competition process which is conducted in accordance with the Governance Code for Public Appointments. We will deal with your application as quickly as possible and will keep you informed at key stages. We aim to conclude the appointment process within three months of the deadline for applications – this is in accordance with the Governance Code.

The assessment process

1. Ministers are responsible and accountable to Parliament for the public appointments made within their department. As a result, they must be consulted at every stage of the appointments process.

2. An Advisory Assessment Panel (“Panel”) is appointed by Ministers to assist them in their decision making. The role of the Panel is to decide, objectively, which candidates meet the eligibility criteria for the role.

3. At the shortlisting meeting the Panel will assess applications against the eligibility criteria and decide which candidates have best met the criteria, who should be recommended for interview. Ministers will then be consulted on the Panel’s recommended shortlist. If you have applied under the Disability Confident Scheme and you meet all the essential criteria, then you will also be invited for an interview.

4. Once the shortlist has been agreed by Ministers, you will be advised (by e-mail) whether you have been shortlisted. Those shortlisted will be invited to an interview.

5. The Panel will meet again to interview candidates and determine who is appointable to the role. The Panel may invite you to make a brief presentation at the start of the interview and will go on to question you about your skills and experience, including asking specific questions to assess whether you meet the criteria set out for the post. The Panel will also explore with you any potential conflicts of interest or any other issues arising from your personal and professional history which may impact on an appointment decision.

6. Details of the panel’s assessment of interviewed candidates are provided to Ministers, including whether they have judged a candidate to be appointable to the role.

The next part of the process is as follows: 

a.   The UK Delegation to PACE proposes a list of three candidates who have been selected by open competition and who satisfy the criteria for appointment, along with a description of the process by which they have been selected. 

b.   The PACE Sub-Committee on Human Rights examines the candidates in discussion with the chair of the national delegation, interviewing the candidates if necessary, and recommends a ranked order.

c.    The ranked list is transmitted by the Bureau of PACE to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. 

d.   The Committee of Ministers elects one of the three candidates for a four-year term. 

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

• James Dowler, Director International Rights and Constitutional Policy, MoJ (Panel Chair)
• Sherry Ralph, Chair of the National Preventative Mechanism
• Camilla Poulton, Independent Panel Member

Advisory Assessment Panels (AAP) are chosen by ministers to assist them in their decision-making. These include a departmental official and an independent member. For competitions recruiting non-executive members of a board (apart from the Chair), the panel will usually include a representative from the public body concerned.

AAP’s perform a number of functions, including agreeing an assessment strategy with ministers, undertaking sifting, carrying out interviews in line with the advertised criteria and deciding objectively who meets the published selection criteria for the role before recommending to ministers which candidates they find appointable. It is then for the minister to decide who to appoint to the role.

Eligibility criteria

In general, you should have the right to work in the UK to be eligible to apply for a public appointment.

There are a small number of specialist roles that are not open to non-British citizens. Any nationality requirements will be specified in the vacancy details.

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. 

You cannot be considered for a public appointment if:

• you are disqualified from acting as a company director  (under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986);

• have an unspent conviction on your criminal record;

• your estate has been sequestrated in Scotland or you enter into a debt arrangement programme under Part 1 of the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 17) as the debtor or have, under Scots law, granted a trust deed for creditors.

When you apply, you should declare if:

• you are, or have been, bankrupt or you have made an arrangement with a creditor at any point, including the dates of this. 

• you are subject to a current police investigation.

You must inform the sponsor department if, during the application process, your circumstances change in respect of any of the above points. 

When you apply you should also declare any relevant interests, highlighting any that you think may call into question your ability to properly discharge the responsibilities of the role you are applying for. You should also declare any other matters which may mean you may not be able to meet the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Board Members (see Outside interests and reputational issues section below)

If you need further advice, please contact  [ADD CONTACT DETAILS]

Security clearance

The successful candidate will be required to undertake Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks in line with the Civil Service guidelines. Additional Security Clearance may also be required for certain roles. However, where this applies, candidates will be notified during the appointment process. Further information on National Security Vetting can be found on the Gov.uk website here.

Additional information for candidates

Equality and diversity

We encourage applications from talented individuals from all backgrounds and across the whole of the United Kingdom. Boards of public bodies are most effective when they reflect the diversity of views of the society they serve and this is an important part of the Government’s levelling up agenda.

We collect data about applicants’ characteristics and backgrounds, including information about people’s educational and professional backgrounds, so that we can make sure we are attracting a broad range of people to these roles and that our selection processes are fair for everyone. Without this information, it makes it difficult to see if our outreach is working, if the application process is having an unfair impact on certain groups and whether changes are making a positive difference.

When you submit your application, your responses are collected by the Cabinet Office and the government department(s) managing your application. The data is used to produce management information about the diversity of applicants. You can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. The information you provide will not be seen by the Advisory Assessment Panel who review applications against the advertised criteria and conduct interviews.

Disability confident

We are a member of the Government’s Disability Confident scheme. We use the Disability Confident scheme symbol, along with other like-minded employers, to show our commitment to good practice in employing people with a disability. The scheme helps recruit and retain disabled people. As part of implementing the scheme, we guarantee an interview for anyone with a disability whose application meets the essential criteria for the role, set out in the advert, and who has asked that their application is considered under the scheme. Indicating that you wish your application to be considered under the scheme will in no way prejudice your application. By ‘essential criteria', we mean that you must provide evidence which demonstrates that you meet the level of competence required under each of the essential criteria, as set out in the job-advert. When you apply you will have the opportunity to select if you would like your application considered under this scheme.

Reasonable adjustments

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to make sure applicants with disabilities, physical or mental health conditions, or other needs are not substantially disadvantaged when applying for public appointments. This can include changing the recruitment process to enable people who wish to apply to do so.

Some examples of common changes are:

• ensuring that application forms are available in different or accessible formats;
• making adaptations to interview locations;
• allowing candidates to present their skills and experience in a different way;
• giving additional detailed information on the selection / interview process in advance to allow candidates time to prepare themselves;
• allowing support workers, for example sign language interpreters;
• making provision for support animals to attend.

When you apply you will have the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments to the application process.

Principles of public life

The Seven Principles of Public Life (also known as the Nolan Principles) apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder.

1. Selflessness

Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.

2. Integrity

Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

3. Objectivity

Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.

4. Accountability

Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.

5. Openness

Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.

6. Honesty

Holders of public office should be truthful.

7. Leadership

Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour and treat others with respect. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.

Code of conduct for board members

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. In support of this, all non-executive board members of UK public bodies must abide by the principles set out in the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. The Code sets out the standards expected from those who serve on the boards of UK public bodies and will form part of your terms and conditions of appointment.

Management of outside interests and consideration of reputational issues

Holders of public office are expected to adhere and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life and the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. Before you apply you should consider carefully: 

• any outside interests that you may have, such as shares you may hold in a company providing services to government; 
• any possible reputational issues arising from your past actions or public statements that you have made; 
• and/or - any political roles you hold or political campaigns you have supported; 

which may call into question your ability to do the role you are applying for.

You will need to answer relevant questions in relation to these points when making an application. Many conflicts of interest can be satisfactorily resolved and declaring a potential conflict does not prevent you from being interviewed. If you are shortlisted for an interview, the panel will discuss any potential conflicts with you during that interview, including any proposals you may have to mitigate them and record that in their advice to ministers. Alongside your own declaration, we will conduct appropriate checks, as part of which we will consider anything in the public domain related to your conduct or professional capacity. This may include searches of previous public statements and social media, blogs or any other publicly available information. The successful candidate(s) may be required to give up any conflicting interests and their other business and financial interests may be published in line with organisational policies. 

Details of declared political activity will be published when the appointment is announced, as required by the Governance Code (political activity is not a bar to appointment, but must be declared).

Status of appointment

As this is an office holder appointment, you will not become a member of the Civil Service. You will not be subject to the provisions of employment law.

Appointment and tenure of office

Appointments are for the term set out in this advert. CPT members may serve 3 terms in total but must reapply at the end of each term.

Remuneration, allowances and abatement

Level of commitment - approximately 40 days per year

• 3 plenary meetings per year in Strasbourg in March, July and November - from Monday to Friday (3 x 4.5 days)
• 1 or 2 visits per year – about 1 to 2 weeks each
• delegation (post-visit) meetings (1 to 1,5 days) (usually in Paris)
• preparation for plenary meetings and visits – drafting notes on visits

Per diem and allowances

• € 344: per diem1 (visits, plenary and delegation meetings)
• € 157: daily homework allowance (plenary meetings and visits)
• € 471: on the adoption of each report on a visit in which a member has participated and produced visit notes

Travelling expenses

Reimbursement on presentation of documentary evidence. Travel by air is authorised in the class immediately below 1st class. However, CPT members are invited to travel by air in economy class as this will help to ensure that the cost of the CPT’s activities remains within the allotted proportions.

Insurance

Specific travel-related risks and accidents (temporary and total incapacity) are covered by AIG EUROPE.

Pension and redundancy

This is an office holder appointment and does not attract any benefits under any Civil Service Pension Scheme. You will not be eligible for redundancy pay as you are not an employee. No other arrangements have been made for compensation upon the end of your term of appointment because an office holder who is appointed for a limited duration would have no expectation of serving beyond that period.

Application feedback

We will notify you of the status of your application. We regret that we are only able to offer detailed feedback to candidates who have been unsuccessful at the interview stage.

How to complain

We aim to process all applications as quickly as possible and to treat all applicants with courtesy.

Please contact the public appointments team in the first instance if you would like to make a complaint regarding your application at publicappointmentsteam@justice.gov.uk. They will acknowledge your complaint upon receipt and respond within 15 working days.

Data protection

The Cabinet Office will use your data in line with our privacy policy.

Your personal Information

In accordance with the Public Appointments Order in Council 2019(4)(5), we will process your application in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Ministry of Justice’s Information Charter, which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/personal-information-charter.

Your data will be held securely and access will be restricted to those dealing with your application or involved in the recruitment process. Your data may also be shared with the Commissioner for Public Appointments and other relevant government departments, including the Cabinet Office, as part of a complaint investigation or review of the recruitment process. Cabinet Office will handle data in accordance with their Privacy Notice https://publicappointments.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/privacy-notice. Your data may also be disclosed as required by law or in connection with legal proceedings.

Your data will be stored for up to two years and processed for the purpose of the recruitment process, diversity monitoring and, if successful, your personal record. If appointed, your data will be stored for the duration of your tenure and may be shared with the organisation to which you are appointed, unless you specifically request us not to.

Should you wish your data to be removed from our records, please contact publicappointmentsteam@justice.gov.uk

Contact details

If you have any questions then please contact publicappointmentsteam@justice.gov.uk