§ Mr. McFallTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations he held in respect of, and what estimate he has made of the costs of, the parole restrictions on early release which he recently announced. [11636]
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonMy right hon. Friend is consulting now on his proposals for changes to the arrangements governing the early release of prisoners in Scotland. A consultation document—"Making the Punishment Fit the Crime"—was published on 15 January and has been circulated to a wide range of interested parties in Scotland. We look forward to receiving responses which have been requested by 15 March.
In the light of responses, we shall then publish a White Paper containing specific proposals and an assessment of the financial implications.