Offender Management Act 2007

18 Powers of authorised persons to perform custodial duties and search prisoners

(1) The Criminal Justice Act 1991 (c. 53) is amended as follows.

(2) After section 86A (as inserted by section 17 above) there is inserted—

“86B Powers of authorised persons to perform custodial duties

(1) In this section—

• “restricted activity” means an activity which is (apart from this section) required by section 85(1) to be carried out by an officer of a contracted-out prison who is—

  (a)

  a prisoner custody officer authorised to perform custodial duties; or

  (b)

  a prison officer temporarily attached to the prison; and

• “worker”, in relation to a contracted out prison, means a person who works at the prison, other than an officer mentioned above.

(2) The Secretary of State may by order specify descriptions of restricted activity that may be the subject of authorisations under subsection (3) given to workers at a contracted-out prison.

(3) A worker at a contracted-out prison may carry out any activity of a description specified under subsection (2), but only if and to the extent that he is for the time being authorised to do so by the director of the prison.

(4) The director may give such authorisation—

(a) in general or specific terms, subject to any limitations or conditions he considers appropriate; and

(b) to one or more particular workers or to any worker who is (or comes to be) within a specified description of workers at the prison.

(5) Nothing in an order or authorisation under this section is to be taken as authorising the use of force.

(6) An order under this section shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.”

(3) In section 85(1) (officers of contracted out prisons), after “shall”, in the words following paragraph (b), there is inserted “(subject to section 86B)”.