Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) what qualifications will be required, and (2) what the recruitment process will be, for independent panel members sitting alongside the Secretary of State in “top tier” parole cases, following their proposal in the Root and Branch Review of the Parole System, published on 30 March.

The concept of top-tier parole cases being determined by independent panel members sitting alongside the Secretary of State is one of two options described in the Root and Branch Review for the future management of such cases. The alternative option is that following a Parole Board decision to release a top-tier case, the Secretary of State would have the power to review and refuse the decision on the basis that he does not agree with the Parole Board that the statutory release test is met – and that would be subject to an appeal to the Upper Tribunal.

We are not yet in a position to announce which of the two options the government will seek to include in the legislation that will be required to implement the parole reforms proposed in the Review. Further detail on how the preferred option will operate will be developed ahead of the introduction of the legislation and announced in due course.