Parole System

HC Deb 22 July 1976 vol 915 cc1988-9

6. Mr. McCrindle

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he remains satisfied with the operation of the parole system.

The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. Brynmor John)

In general, yes, but we continue to consider, with the board, how the system might be improved.

Mr. McCrindle

Is it not clear that from the point of view of prisoners one of the defects of the scheme is the failure to tell a prisoner why his application for parole has been refused? On the other hand, one of the defects from the public point of view is that the Home Office refuses to publish statistics of crimes committed by people who are on parole. If the Minister would direct his attention to both these aspects of the parole system, it would be materially improved from the point of view of both prisoners and the public.

Mr. John

If the hon. Member had read the speech which my right hon. Friend made to the New Bridge Society, he would have found that my right hon. Friend said we should try to move to a position in which prisoners who are refused parole are given some reasons for the refusal. The 1974 report of the Parole Board made clear the objections and difficulties involved, but it is carrying out a limited experiment to see whether a method can be found to achieve this end. My right hon. Friend feels that this is a matter of priority for action.

Mr. Skinner

Does my hon. Friend agree that there must be something wrong with the system when we have a man, Des Warrent still remaining in gaol for fighting to improve the wages and conditions of his fellow workers and at the same time those involved in lining their own pockets—I refer to members of the Poulson gang—are allowed out on parole in order to carry on in the same old fashion as before?

Mr. John

My hon. Friend will know that the Parole Board takes account of these matters when it considers applications for parole. He should cast his mind back to the considerable debate which we had at the last Question Time for the Home Department when the question of behaviour in prison was said to be central to this issue.