§ LORD AVEBURYasked Her Majesty's Government:
On what date Myra Hindley will first become eligible for release on parole; whether she has been permitted escorted release from prison, and, if so, on how many occasions; and whether they will make a statement on the circumstances in which discussion of her release could take place by the Parole Board.
VISCOUNT COLVILLE OF CULROSSThere is no fixed period after which prisoners serving life sentences become eligible for parole. As to the recent escorted release of Myra Hindley, I would refer the noble Lord to the reply which I gave on September 14 to a Question by the noble Earl, Lord Mansfield. It is the normal practice for the papers about life sentence prisoners to go to the Parole Board after about seven years' detention, even in a case like that of Myra Hindley, where there is no prospect of my right honourable friend the Home Secretary being able to contemplate fixing, at that time, some future date for release.