Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average length of time served in prison by (a) men and (b) women that had been given life sentences was for those that were released from prison in each of the last five years.

The attached tables show the mean and median average time served by men and women sentenced to life imprisonment who were released from custody in each of the last five years.

Public protection is our priority. It is for the independent Parole Board to review the detention of those prisoners serving life sentences who have completed their tariff period. The Board will direct the release of these prisoners only if it is satisfied that the levels of risk posed to the general public are reduced enough that the National Probation Service and its partner agencies can safely manage them in the community using the powers available to them.