Public Servant Lifestyle

The Plain English Campaign Web Award for 2006 has been awarded to Her Majesty's Prison Service (HMPS) - for being the clearest website of the year.

Judges, who praised its quality of layout, design and navigation, said: “The Prison Service website contains a great deal of useful information for those people who need to know about the prison system, from support group contacts to prison regulations. This can be a very difficult subject for some people, yet the website has a warm and sensitive tone. The design and navigation is clear and simple to use, and it is easy for visitors to find the information they are looking for.”

Useful Information

HMPS Internet Manager, Sacha Roberts said: "This award is a great achievement for everyone involved with the website since its launch in 2004. A large proportion of visitors to the website are families and friends of prisoners and the general public, therefore it is essential that we communicate information clearly and concisely. I am delighted that our work has been recognised with such a prestigious award.”

The Prison Service website contains a great deal of useful information for those people who need to know about the prison system, from support group contacts to prison regulations. This can be a very difficult subject for some people, yet the website has a warm and sensitive tone. The design and navigation is clear and simple to use, and it is easy for visitors to find the information they are looking for.

Plain English Campaign

Plain English Campaign spokesman Ben Beer said: "Nowadays it is absolutely vital that organisations have clear and accessible websites, especially when they contain a lot of information. The Prison Service have taken the needs of web visitors into consideration, and the site is very user-friendly. We were astonished by the number of websites that were nominated this year, and I have to say that the overall standard was very high."

“We had a record number of entries this year, but this site was the clear winner. The Prison Service has taken the needs of web visitors into consideration, and the site is very user-friendly. We were astonished by the number of websites that were nominated this year, and I have to say that the overall standard was very high.”

Previous winners of the web award have included: The Scottish Borders Council (in 2005), The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS) in 2003 and the Yorkshire Dales National Parks Authority (2000)

Since 1979, the Plain English Campaign has worked with thousands of organisations to make their public information as clear as possible. The annual awards aim to recognise organisations and individuals who have genuinely made an effort to present themselves using plain English.

Broadcast journalist Mary Nightingale will present the awards at a ceremony in East London later on this month.

PSP Ltd is not responsible for the contents of external websites.

More information available in Home Computing, Incentives & Rewards