Health boss tipped to replace Narey

A former prison service chief now at the Department of Health is being tipped to become the new head of the National Offender Management Service.

Sources this week named Hugh Taylor among the possible applicants to replace Martin Narey. Taylor is the Department of Health’s strategy and business development director.

Helen Edwards, former head of criminal justice charity Nacro, who now leads the active communities unit at the Home Office, is also in the running.

The Home Office said it was unable to comment.

In a written answer to MPs last week, Home Office minister Fiona Mactaggart said there had been 10 applications for the post, and that interviews had been held.

Narey, who is now head of Barnardo’s, has written a damning article on prison overcrowding to be published in December.

In the Howard League for Penal Reform’s magazine, HLM, Narey wrote: “As I leave, I cannot pretend to be other than dismayed at a prison population now heading towards 78,000.”

As expected, home secretary Charles Clarke last week formally announced plans to open up the probation service to independent and voluntary sector competition.