§ Dr. SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to prevent dangerous prisoners from escaping while on temporary leave from prison; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter LloydResponsibility for this matter has been delegated to the director general of the prison service who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Derek Lewis to Dr. Robert Spink, dated 22 April 1993:
The Home Secretary has asked me to write to you in response to your Parliamentary Question asking what steps are taken to prevent dangerous prisoners from escaping while on temporary leave from prison.Any prisoner who presents a risk to public safety either by absconding or re-offending will not be granted temporary release. Before granting an application to be released temporarily for any purpose a very careful and detailed assessment is made of the risk involved. Any prisoner who has been temporarily released may also be recalled to prison at any time whether the conditions of his licence have been broken or not.Guidance on the procedures and arrangements for granting temporary release are set out in Circular Instructions 12/1988 (for young offenders), 36/1989 (for adult prisoners) and 43/1992 (home leave), copies of which are in the Library.