HC Deb 22 March 1988 vol 130 cc80-1W
Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners were convicted of murder as a scheduled offence in Northern Ireland aged (i) 16 years, (ii) 17 years, (iii) 18 years, (iv) 19 years, (v) 20 years and (vi) 21 years of age since 1971; to which community they belonged; and what has been their average sentence served.

Mr. Tom King

[holding answer 17 March 1988]: The information requested is set out in the table:

Mr. Tom King

[holding answer 17 March 1988]: The information is set out in the table. No prisoner released on licence from detention during the pleasure of the Secretary of State has been subsequently convicted of a scheduled offence.

Persons serving pleasure released on licence since 1970
Year Loyalist Republican Others Totals
1981 — 11 — 1
1982 — — 1 1

Year Loyalist Republican Others Totals
1983 2 — — 2
1984 — — — —
1985 5 2 — 7
1986 5 5 — 10
1987 4 7 — 11
1988 (to date) 2 — — 2
Totals 18 15 1 34
Average years served 10.56 10.47 10.33 —
Note: The classifications in the table are based on the believed paramilitary affiliation of the prisoners at the time of their arrest.
1 Released on medical grounds.

Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many requests he has received since 22 February for the reconsidering of their sentences from(a) prisoners held in Northern Ireland at the Secretary of State's pleasure; and (b) other prisoners indicating (i) whether they were Loyalist or Republican prisoners, (ii) the age at which the offenders were committed, (iii) the nature of the offences for which they were sentenced and (iv) the number of cases he has re-examined.

Mr. Tom King

[holding answer 17 March 1988]: Since 22 February one Republican prisoner serving life for murder committed when he was 18 has petitioned asking for the date fixed for the review of his sentence by the life sentence review board to be brought forward. The request has been refused. There have been nine other cases during the period in which representations have been made on behalf of life or pleasure prisoners.