"Michael Spurr will be leaving his role as Chief Executive of Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service at the end of March 2019, after 35 years in the service and nearly 9 years leading it," the UK Justice Ministry said in a press release on Thursday.
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The formal procedure to choose Spurr's successor will begin in October, the UK Justice Ministry declared.
Following the election of the successor, Spurr is expected to work in a team that will manage the transfer of competence to the new chief executive.
On Friday, 5,000 jail staff in England and Wales held a protest action organized by the UK Prison Officers Association to draw the attention of the country's authorities to such issues as overcrowding, high level of violence and poor safety in prisons.
The UK government sought a restraining the order against the holding of the mass action, which eventually took place and lasted for a few hours.
