§ Mr. CohenTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria he uses in reaching decisions on whether to refer decisions on tariffs for prisoners to the Lord Chief Justice for determination. [115415]
§ Mr. BoatengThe statement made by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to Parliament on 13 March 2000,Official Report, columns 21–24, announced transitional tariff-setting arrangements for those sentenced to be detained during Her Majesty's pleasure. Under those arrangements, detainees whose tariffs have not expired will be invited to make representations to the Lord Chief Justice. Where they do so, he will consider them and make a recommendation to the Secretary of State who will then regard himself as bound to set fresh tariffs no higher than those recommended by the Lord Chief Justice.
The tariff-setting arrangements for adult murderers remain unaltered. The Secretary of State will continue to set their tariffs after considering a report from the trial judge, the judicial recommendations on tariff and any representations from the prisoner on the tariff information disclosed to him.