HC Deb 19 May 1988 vol 133 cc546-7W
Mrs. Ann Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total period of time that a prisoner sentenced to one year's imprisonment who had(a) been held on remand for six months, and (b) been held on remand for one month, would spend in custody, having lost entitlement to three months remission.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

(a) nine months, of which three months would be served after sentence.

(b) nine months, of which eight months would be served after sentence.

Mrs. Ann Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account is taken of periods for which prisoners have been held on remand in calculating loss of remission under rule 54 of the prison rules.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Any remission forfeited prospectively under prison rule 54 during a period on remand may be deducted from the total amount of remission which, otherwise, would be earned in respect of that period.

Mrs. Ann Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of prisoners presently serving sentences whose total period of custody after loss of remission will be longer because periods during which they were held on remand have been disregarded in calculating loss of remission than it would have been if such periods had been taken into account in the implementation of rule 54 of the prison rules.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Of those presently serving sentences, none.

Mrs. Ann Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance is issued by his Department on the account to be taken of periods spent on remand in interpreting rule 54 of the prison rules; if he will place a copy of such guidance in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Guidance is contained in prison standing order 3C 6(5) as amended by circular instruction 23/1988 (standing order amendment 427); copies of these documents are in the Library.

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