§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) under what procedure and by whom the decision was made to transfer Michael Grant to Ford open prison; [17142]
856W(2) what factors were taken into account in determining Michael Grant's most recent security classification; [17144]
(3) what was the classification awarded to Michael Grant following his conviction; and when, and under what procedure, the original classification was lowered. [17143]
§ Mr. Michael Forsyth[holding answer 30 March 1995]: Responsibility for these matters 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 Mr. George Howarth, dated 31 March 1995:
The Home Secretary has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about the security classification of Michael Grant and the decision to transfer him to Ford open prison.Michael Grant was held as a provisional category A prisoner when he was convicted at Chelmsford Crown Court on 24 October 1988 of attempted murder. His case was considered by the Category A Committee at its meeting on 16 March 1989, and on 24 April 1989 the then Director General approved the recommendation that he should be confirmed in category A.Michael Grant's security category was next reviewed during the following year. The case was considered by the Category A Committee and the Director General. On 5 June 1990 it was decided that Mr. Grant's security category should be reduced to category B.On 28 January 1991 Mr. Grant was transferred from Gartree to Coldingley which was a category B training prison at the time. On 17 December 1992 the head of custody at Coldingley approved Mr. Grant's re-categorisation to category C. Mr. Grant had demonstrated his suitability through completing a number of escorted home visits. He was made a category C prisoner on 1 January 1993.Mr. Grant was recommended for re-assessment of his security category at Coldingley prison on 30 May 1993. On 16 June 1993 Mr. Grant was the subject of a re-assessment board for reclassifying him from category C to category D, that is, the lowest security category. This is for prisoners who can reasonably be trusted to serve their sentences in open conditions. The Governor approved the Board's recommendation to reclassify Mr. Grant to category D on 21 June 1993.The factors that were taken into consideration by the Board were good behaviour whilst in prison, completion of a successful period of home leave and a successful period of temporary release to attend his father's funeral. He had a sound prison employment record, and probation reports demonstrated that he had the backing of a supportive family. Although his earliest date of release was not until November 1997, the Board considered that he was a prisoner who could be reasonably trusted to serve the rest of his sentence in open conditions.Mr. Grant was initially held as a category D prisoner at Coldingley. He was later accepted by Ford, who took into account his history of good behaviour in prison and the fact that he had successfully completed several periods of home leave. He was transferred to Ford on 23 May 1994.Following Mr. Grant's recent failure to return from temporary release on time, he later returned voluntarily and will be recategorised to C and is now held in a segregation unit at Ford.