Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 30 July 2015 to Question 6617, which offences the prisoner currently in an open prison who had previously absconded but was allowed to move to open conditions since May 2014 had committed; and what length of sentence was being served in each such case.

The prisoner referred to in my reply to Question 6617, is serving a life sentence for murder. Since May 2014, prisoners with a history of escape, absconding or serious temporary release failure during the current sentence have been precluded from transfer to open conditions, other than in the most exceptional circumstances. The decision to permit the prisoner to return to open conditions was taken only after careful consideration by senior officials within the National Offender Management Service in consultation with Ministers.