HC Deb 01 November 1988 vol 139 cc575-6W
Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list separately how many prisoners giving as their domicile either the Republic or Northern Ireland, respectively, have been permitted to return home to the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland, respectively, on parole for humanitarian reasons in the current year.

Mr. Douglas Hogg

Prisoners may be temporarily released on compassionate grounds under rule 6 of the Prison Rules 1964, as amended.

Records of the number of prisoners granted temporary release are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Prisoners are not temporarily released under rule 6 to any place, including the Republic of Ireland, which is outside the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom.