HL Deb 30 June 1999 vol 603 c39WA
Lord Tebbit

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many people have died since 1963 in Northern Ireland at the hands of persons previously convicted of homicide. [HL3066]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office (Lord Dubs)

We do not have information on the number of persons who have died since 1963 in Northern Ireland at the hands of persons previously convicted of homicide, except where the perpetrator was convicted and sentenced for the murder.

In this case I can advise that one person has died since 1963 in Northern Ireland at the hands of a person previously convicted of homicide. The person responsible for the murder was at the time serving a sentence of life imprisonment for a previous murder conviction.

Further, I can confirm that our records show that since 1963 no one who had served a sentence of life imprisonment for murder, who was then released on licence, was reconvicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for a subsequent murder.