§ Mr. Brothertonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps will be taken to ensure that prisoners released on leave from Northern Ireland prisons will return to prison.
Mr. ConeannonThe conditions under which parole leave is granted are explained to all eligible prisoners and they are required to undertake to return to the prison at the appointed date and time. In addition, full details of those prisoners allowed leave are given to the security forces. Parole leave is a matter of trust and in the past 20 years there has only 1123W been one case of a prisoner failing to honour his undertaking. Any prisoner who fails to honour his undertaking is of course unlawfully at large and is liable to arrest and prosecution.
§ Mr. Brothertonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what public funds will be made available to prisoners on leave from Northern Ireland prisons for the duration of their stay out of prison;
(2) how he expects prisoners who are on leave from Northern Ireland prisons to maintain themselves and their families whilst on leave from prison;
(3) whether prisoners released on leave from Northern Ireland prisons qualify for supplementary benefit during the period of their leave.
§ Mr. ConcannonEach prisoner who is temporarily released on parole leave is given the sum of £1 and also a travel warrant to and from his destination. Such a prisoner does not qualify for supplementary benefit during the period of leave. However, if the prisoner's dependants or the relatives with whom he will be staying are already in receipt of supplementary benefit the benefit may be increased to take account of the prisoner's requirement for the period of his leave.
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Summer Parole Christmas Parole Daily Average Total for Convicted Prisoners 1948 … … … … … — 15 329 1949 … … … … … — 8 268 1950 … … … … … — 6 242 1951 … … … … … — 33 270 1952 … … … … … — 41 298 1953 … … … … … — 45 313 1954 … … … … … — 45 303 1955 … … … … … 16 33 295 1956 … … … … … 16 36 314 1957 … … … … … 15 36 337 1958 … … … … … 15 49 363 1959 … … … … … 9 63 409 1960 … … … … … 4 47 430 1961 … … … … … 5 35 414 1962 … … … … … 3 32 418 1963 … … … … … 5 50 393 1964 … … … … … 18 49 381 1965 … … … … … 8 36 375 1966 … … … … … 9 35 422 1967 … … … … … 9 41 540 1968 … … … … … 13 52 586 1969 … … … … … 26 46 582 1970 … … … … … 36 132 755 1971 … … … … … 46 59 838 1972 … … … … … 79 93 745 1973 … … … … … 64 125 1,082 1974 … … … … … 70 136 1,451 1975 … … … … … 202 163 2,021
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make a statement on the parole release on holiday of prisoners in Northern Ireland; who is included in this arrangement; what costs are involved; and whether this will apply to criminals other than those in prison for terrorism.
Mr. ConcamionI would refer my hon. Friend to the statement which I made on 2nd August 1976 in answer to the Private Notice Question by the right hon. Member for Down, South (Mr Powell)—[Vol. 916, c. 1210–1]—Each prisoner is granted £1 and if necessary a travel warrant; the scheme applies to all convicted prisoners who meet the necessary conditions and is part of rehabilitation for release.
§ Mr. Brothertonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners have been released on leave from Northern Ireland prisons in each year since 1945.
§ Mr. ConcannonSince the introduction of the Christmas parole scheme in 1948 and the summer parole scheme in 1955, the number of prisoners released on such parole together with the daily average total for convicted prisoners for each year was as follows:
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§ Mr. Brothertonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) in the event of those released on leave from Northern Ireland prisons not using the return halves of their rail, coach or bus tickets, what steps will be taken to recover the money involved;
(2) whether rail and coach tickets will be issued to prisoners released on leave from Northern Ireland prisons; and, if so, whether they are single or return tickets;
(3) by what means those prisoners released on leave from Northern Ireland prisons will reach their home destinations.
§ Mr. ConcannonThe majority of prisoners going on temporary home leave make their own transport arrangements involving no cost to public funds. If required, however, a travel warrant may be issued to cover the journey to and from the prisoner's destination. Tickets are not issued.
§ Mr. Powellasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what number of prisoners were released from Her Majesty's prisons in Northern Ireland under the summer holiday scheme in each of the last five years; and on what date in each of those years the operation of this scheme began and ended.
Mr. ConeannonDuring the last five years the number of prisoners released from Her Majesty's Prisons in Northern Ireland under the summer parole scheme were as follows:
1971 … … … … 46 1972 … … … … 79 1973 … … … … 64 1974 … … … … 70 1975 … … … … 202 In each of these years the scheme began on 1st June and ended on 31st August.
§ Mr. Biggs-Davisonasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners were denied parole because the Provisional IRA declined to take part in the scheme.
§ Mr. Concannon, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 5th August 1976; Vol. 916, c.969.]gave the following information:
A total of 414 prisoners were considered under the summer parole scheme 1126W this year. 222 of these prisoners had claimed affiliation to the PIRA; of that number 94 were offered but refused to accept.
§ Mr. Concannon,pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 5th August 1976; Vol. 916, c.969],gave the following information:
Decisions on the paroling of individual prisoners are taken by the Department in the light of advice from prison governors and the security forces within the general framework of rules for eligibility approved by the Secretary of State. The number of prisoners released on summer parole each year together with the daily average total of convicted prisoners for each year since the scheme was introduced is as follows:
Summer parole Average total for convicted prisoners 1955 … … … 16 295 1956 … … … 16 314 1957 … … … 15 337 1958 … … … 15 363 1959 … … … 9 409 1960 … … … 4 430 1961 … … … 5 414 1962 … … … 3 418 1963 … … … 5 393 1964 … … … 18 381 1965 … … … 8 375 1966 … … … 9 422 1967 … … … 9 540 1968 … … … 13 586 1969 … … … 26 582 1970 … … … 36 755 1971 … … … 46 838 1972 … … … 79 745 1973 … … … 64 1,082 1974 … … … 70 1,451 1975 … … … 202 2,021