§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners whose parole eligibility date has passed are awaiting decisions by the parole board on recommendations by the local review committee; and what is the current average time lapse between that date and the decision being made.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggStatistics are not readily available in the form requested. For further information, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for St. Helens, South (Mr. Bermingham) on 4 July 1989 at column95.
§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost of keeping prisoners after their parole eligibility date whilst awaiting decisions by the parole board on recommendations by the local review committee.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggIt is not possible to distinguish the cost of keeping prisoners eligible for parole from that of428W other prisoners. The average weekly cost of keeping a prisoner in a penal establishment in 1987–88, the latest period for which information is available, was £275.