§ Lord Boyd-Carpenter asked Her Majesty's Government:
§ Whether they have investigated the escape of Stanley Greenfield and Anthony Pilditch while serving sentences of life imprisonment for murder, and in particular the reasons why these persons were able to escape as the result of temporary release from prison.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)My Lords, the two escapes from escort have been fully investigated. Staff disciplinary hearings are being conducted, but they are not yet complete.
§ Lord Boyd-CarpenterMy Lords, is it not clear that the placing of these two men in a position from which they could escape was a grave error of judgment? Can I be assured that this will be brought home to the officials concerned?
Earl FerrersMy Lords, I do not believe that it was a grave error of judgment. These two people were not on temporary release, but they were out in the community. That is allowed as part of the system which permits a person to familiarise himself with outdoor conditions. It so happens that on both occasions the gentlemen went to the lavatory, which is not an unusual thing to do. It was from there that they absconded.