Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent steps his Department has taken to balance the rights of prisoners to timely parole review with the need to (a) protect the public and (b) support victims.

The Parole Board plays a vital role in public protection. It can only direct release if it is satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that the offender must remain in custody. To ensure each case can receive thorough scrutiny, once a case is referred to the Board there is no time limit in which a decision must be made. Each case is considered individually and the proceedings are managed according to the specific circumstances involved.

We recognise the uncertainty and distress that parole hearings will cause for victims. Prolonged reviews are regrettable but the nature of parole proceedings means that the Board’s panel will often need to direct additional information or specialist reports to complete their risk assessment and this must be the priority for public protection reasons.

Eligible victims registered with the Victim Contact Scheme are kept up to date during the parole review by dedicated Victim Liaison Officers.