Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether representations were (a) sought and (b) received by the Parole Board from the families of the victims of Colin Pitchfork in relation to the recommendation to move him to an open prison.

Public protection is our priority, and life sentence prisoners may be transferred to open conditions only by a recommendation from the independent Parole Board. Victims who have opted into the statutory National Probation Service Victim Contact Service will be informed of their right to make a victim personal statement (VPS) to the Parole Board. Where a victim has chosen to submit a VPS, the Parole Board will consider it alongside all other relevant information before making its decision.