Prisons and Probation Ombudsman reappointment

The Lord Chancellor has approved the reappointment of Adrian Usher as Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) for 3 years from 24 April 2026.

The appointment of the PPO is regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments and recruitment and reappointment processes comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments. The appointment is subject to pre-appointment scrutiny by the Justice Select Committee.

 The PPO, a non-statutory office established following the Woolf Inquiry into the 1990 prison riots, provides independent investigation of prisoner and probation complaints and deaths in custody or post-release.

Biography

Adrian Usher was appointed PPO on 24 April 2023, following a distinguished career in the Metropolitan Police Service, where he held senior investigative and leadership roles, including Commander for Counter Terrorism.