Lord Huntasked Her Majesty's Government:
Over what period the operations of a tighter policy on parole, referred to by the Home Secretary in his address to the Prison Governors' Conference on 23rd March, had the effect of increasing the prison population by approximately 2,000; and what was the reason for such a change in policy.
The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)The figure of 2,000 is the estimated increase in the prison population resulting from reductions between 1983 and 1986 in the selection rate for parole and in the average period on licence for prisoners serving sentences of two years and over.
About 1,500 of these reductions follow from the recommendations made by the Parole Board in individual cases. As to the remaining 500, the effect is due to the Secretary of State's policy that inmates 368WA who are serving sentences of over five years for offences of violence or drug trafficking receive parole only in exceptional circumstances or for a few months towards the end of sentence.