HC Deb 03 March 1988 vol 128 cc632-3W
Mr. Hume

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the grounds for his Department's decision to accept Ian Richard Thain, convicted in Northern Ireland, into a prison in Britain.

Mr. Hurd

Private Thain's application for permanent transfer to an establishment in England and Wales was regarded favourably in the light of the normal criteria governing transfers between the two jurisdictions.

Mr. Hume

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the arrangements made for Ian Richard Thain's imprisonment in Britain provided for a continuing role or responsibility by the Northern Ireland Office, given the grounds and place of his conviction.

Mr. Hurd

No.

Mr. Hume

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he made the decision to release Ian Richard Thain on parole;

(2) what review body or parole board considered Ian Richard Thain's case; what was the date the matter was first referred to this body; what information this body had before it in its considerations; what was the date the decision to recommend parole was taken; and to whom this recommendation was passed;

(3) what information was available to him as to whether Ian Thain was returning to Army service when the decision was made on his parole.

Mr. Hurd

Private Thain's case was considered by the local review committee at Liverpool prison on 3 September 1986 and subsequently by the parole board on 13 October 1986. In common with the cases of all life-sentence prisoners, the information before the parole board would have included full details of the nature and circumstances of the offences, the prisoner's previous record and response in prison, and the views of the trial judge and the Lord Chief Justice on the requirements of retribution and deterrence for the offence. The board would also have taken into account the degree of risk to the public if the prisoner were to be released. Having taken all these factors into account the parole board recommended Private Thain's release on licence, and I accepted the board's recommendation.

Both the parole board and I were aware that Private Thain's services had been retained by the Army and also that an undertaking had been given that, if released, there was no question of his again serving in Northern Ireland.