HC Deb 28 February 1992 vol 204 cc628-9W
Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a prisoner's continued denial of his or her guilt is a factor taken into account in deciding whether or not to accept a recommendation by the Parole Board to grant parole.

Mrs. Rumbold

When my right hon. Friend considers Parole Board recommendations to release prisoners, his principal concern is the risk involved. Denial of guilt per se does not dictate the outcome of the decision.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recommendations of the Parole Board in each year since 1986 were(a)accepted, and (b)rejected in England and Wales.

Mrs. Rumbold

The information requested is given in the table.

Recommendations1 for the release of prisoners on parole or licence by the Parole Board: by the outcome of recommendation 1986–90
Accepted Rejected
1986 3,651 29
1987 3,636 35
1988 3,811 29
1989 4,688 45
1990 3,282 77
1 Excluding release on licence of prisoners detained for a period other than life under section 53(2) Children and Young Persons Act 1933.

Mr. Bermingham

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many parole decisions were referred by the Parole Board to him in each year since 1986 in England and Wales.

Mrs. Rumbold

The information requested is given in the table. Under the provisions of section 60(1) of the Criminal Justice Act 1967 only recommendations for release on parole are referred to the Secretary of State by the Parole Board.

Recommendations for the release of determinate sentence prisoners on parole by the Parole Board: 1986–1990
Recommended for parole by the Parole Board
1986 3,560
1987 3,524
1988 3,749
1989 4,614
1990 3,221

Notifiable offences recorded by the police
Metropolitan Police District (including City of London)
12 months ending Total Violent crime Burglary Homicide1
September 1981 625,646 29,256 142,682 173
September 1982 675,501 31,436 154,206 184
September 1983 677,548 33,187 154,100 161
September 1984 703,686 34,640 166,212 181
September 1985 738,574 38,003 158,238 170
September 1986 774,898 41,432 158,173 186
September 1987 746,658 42,780 150,664 210
September 1988 739,437 48,658 147,596 164
September 1989 745,354 53,042 145,143 172
September 1990 812,285 57,421 166,863 182
September 1991 916,648 64,644 188,999 181
England and Wales
September 1981 2,895,403 138,228 700,714 606
September 1982 3,174,843 147,088 774,109 614
September 1983 3,252,585 153,250 810,582 553
September 1984 3,418,609 156,554 868,561 623
September 1985 3,587,206 166,856 874,380 615
September 1986 3,793,368 177,691 915,582 637
September 1987 3,891,364 192,451 914,078 682
September 1988 3,788,107 212,267 841,127 651
September 1989 3,778,544 236,411 804,402 654
September 1990 4,326,357 245,582 944,996 643
September 1991 5,135,595 261,409 1,169,713 690
1 Includes murder, manslaughter and infanticide.