§ Mr. William RossTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table to show for as many years for which the information is conveniently available the number of persons sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of(a) police officers, (b) prison officers, (c) regular Army, (d) Ulster Defence Regiment members and (e) civilians who have been in each year released from prison; what was the average number of years and months served in each case; whether the life sentence had a minimum recommendation imposed by the court which was not served; and in which cases there was a terrorist involvement.
§ Sir Patrick MayhewThe information is as follows:
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RUC NIPS Army UDR Civilians 1989 4 0 2 2 23 Average years served 14 years 10 months — 15 years 10 months 15 years 7 months 14 years 5 months Terrorist involvement 4 — 2 2 22 Recommended minimum sentence not served — — — — 1 1990 5 0 4 5 41 Average years served 15 years 1 month — 15 years 3 months 13 years 4 months 14 years 9 months Terrorist involvement 5 — 4 5 38 Recommended minimum sentence not served 1 — — — 5 1991 4 0 2 1 15 Average years served 16 years 1 month — 13 years 9 months 15 years 2 months 15 years 9 months Terrorist involvement 4 — 2 1 14 Recommended minimum sentence not served 3 — 1 — 6 1992 3 1 3 4 32 Average years served 16 years 8 months 13 years 8 months 16 years 1 months 15 years 9 months 15 years 3 months Terrorist involvement 3 1 3 4 32 Recommended minimum sentence not served 2 — 2 2 10 1993 (to 31 March) 0 0 0 0 12 Average years served — — — — 15 years 8 months Terrorist involvement — — — — 12 Recommended minimum sentence not served — — — — 6 Totals Released on licence 25 1 14 13 154 average years served 14 years 10 months 13 years 8 months 14 years 1 months 14 years 8 months 14 years 7 months Terrorist involvement 25 1 14 13 144 Recommended minimum sentence not served 6 0 3 2 32 Notes:
1. Table does not include prisoners who were released on licence early because they had given substantial assistance to the authorities.
2. Years served is calculated up to first release on licence.