Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether approval was sought from any Minister for the decision to release Michael Wheatley on temporary licence.

Approval was not sought from any Minister for the decision to release Michael Wheatley on temporary licence, as the policy does not require Ministerial approval before a prisoner is approved for release on temporary licence (RoTL). This has been the case since 1994. In accordance with the policy, as laid down in Prison Service Order 6300, the Deputy Governor at HMP Standford Hill approved RoTL for Michael Wheatley, on a recommendation from a RoTL risk assessment board at that prison.

Mr Wheatley's Resettlement Day Release was authorised to facilitate his potential resettlement into the community and to assess his ongoing risk, to inform the Parole Board's future decision as to his suitability for release into the community on life licence.