§ Mr. DicksTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inmates of prisons have been released temporarily on compassionate grounds in each of the last five years; who authorised such releases; and what was the cost to public funds.
§ Mr. John PattenPrisoners may be temporarily released on compassionate grounds on the authorisation of the prison governor, under rule 6 of the Prison Rules 1964 (as amended). The number of such releases and their cost are not recorded centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.