§ Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners have been released from prison on compassionate grounds in Northern Ireland for periods of three days or less in the current and last five years; how many failed to return within the specified time limit; and what are the arrangements for the supervision of such prisoners.
§ Mr. AlisonThe information is as follows:
Year *No. of prisoners granted compassionate home leave †No. of prisoners failing to return within the specified time limit 1976 219 7 1977 145 — 1978 117 3 1979 106 1 1980 100 2 ‡1981 3 — Totals 690 13 * A few prisoners were granted leave on more than one occasion. † Eight subsequently returned to the prison; five were apprehended by the police. ‡ To 18 January. Compassionate home leave does not normally exceed 24 hours and in the great majority of cases, leave is unescorted. In general, no special steps are taken to supervise prisoners on unescorted compassionate home leave, but prisoners are required to sign an undertaking to comply with their leave conditions.
§ Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the medical conditions which he regards as acceptable grounds for releasing a prisoner from any of Her Majesty's prisons in Northern Ireland before completion of sentence.
§ Mr. AlisonThere are no specific medical conditions which justify consideration for early release. Cases are considered on their own facts, but in general release earlier than in the normal course is considered only in the following circumstances (i) where it is reasonably clear that a prisoner is suffering from a terminal illness and that death is likely to occur soon, (ii) where a prisoner is bedridden and totally incapacitated, or (iii) where it appears that further imprisonment will of itself endanger life or reason, or shorten life expectancy.
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§ Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many female prisoners have been released from prison in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years and the current year on compassionate and/or medical grounds; of these, in each case how many were suffering from anorexia nervosa as their principal or only complaint; and, of these, how many subsequently died as a result of that condition.
§ Mr. AlisonThe information is as follows:
Medical Grounds Other Compassionate Grounds 1976 — 1 1977 — — 1978 2 2 1979 — — 1980 1 — 1981 1 — In two of the four cases of release on medical grounds, anorexia nervosa was the principal or only illness. So far as I am aware, neither of the two women concerned has died since being released.
§ Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of the female prisoners released from prison in Northern Ireland on compassionate and/or medical grounds in each of the last five years and the current year were let out on licence and how many as a result of a pardon; and in each case how many are known to be still within the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom courts.
§ Mr. AlisonOf the four prisoners released on medical grounds since the beginning of 1976, two were released on licence, from a life sentence and a sentence of detention during the Secretary of State's pleasure respectively. In both these cases the balance of concurrent fixed sentences was remitted by the exercise of the Royal Prerogative.
The other two prisoners released on medical grounds, and the three released for compassionate reasons, were all serving fixed terms and the balance of the sentence was remitted in each case.
My latest information is that the two prisoners released on licence are living in Northern Ireland. One of the other five prisoners released died shortly after being discharged on medical grounds.
§ Mr. Wm. Rossasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the crimes for which each of the female prisoners released on compassionate and on medical grounds in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years and the current year were convicted.
§ Mr. AlisonThe information is as follows:
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No. of prisoners released Offences 1976 1 Robbery; belonging to a proscribed organization. 1978 4 1. Possession of explosives; membership of a proscribed organization. 2. Manslaughter; intimidation. 3. Manslaughter. 4. Shoplifting. 1980 1 Causing explosions; Conspiracy to cause explosions
No. of prisoners released Offences 1981 1 Murder; attempted murder, causing explosions; firearms offences; membership of a proscribed organization.