HC Deb 27 July 1976 vol 916 cc131-2W
Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Mr. Andrew Cunningham was sentenced; for what period; for what offences; to what extent he served this sentence in an actual prison and an open prison, respectively; and how much of the sentence was served before he was paroled on 3rd June 1976.

Mr. John

Mr. Cunningham was sentenced on 26th April 1974 at Leeds Crown Court to a total of five years' imprisonment on conviction of one offence of conspiracy and eight offences of corruption. This was reduced on appeal to four years' imprisonment. He was held in closed conditions until 25th June 1974 when he was transferred to the open prison at Ford. Apart from a total of 95 days which he spent in closed conditions for the purpose of court proceedings, he remained at Ford prison until 30th June 1976, when he was released on parole. At the time of his release, Mr. Cunningham had served 799 days of a total sentence of 1,461 days.

Mr. Arthur Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a detailed list of the approaches he has had for the release on parole of Mr. Andrew Cunningham; to what extent approaches have been made by Members of Parliament; and whether his parole was at the normal time.

Mr. John

It would not be right to disclose in any individual case details of representations which may have been made to my right hon. Friend. There is no normal time for the grant of parole but the earliest date on which he could have been increased on parole was 23rd August 1975 and his date of release without parole but with full remission would be 22nd December 1976.