Recommendation 22: Quarterly full cell searches and monthly returns
From Report of the Zahid Mubarek inquiry (Volumes I and II), published 29 June 2006.
Recommendation
An establishment’s written cell-searching strategy should require each cell to be fully searched at least once in every three months. Senior officers should ensure that full cell searches are taking place as regularly as the strategy requires. Returns showing which cells have been fully searched, and when, should be submitted monthly. The department which is supposed to scrutinise the returns should do so speedily, and notify the senior officer of the unit and its principal officer if that is not happening.
Government response
No government response to this recommendation is on the record yet.
Delivery
No statement on delivery from the addressee has been found in the sources searched (last checked 7 March 2026). This is separate from the response above.