§ Sir John WheelerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will abolish the restricted policy on parole which applies to those sentenced to more than five years for an offence involving violence, sex, arson or drugs; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI have recently completed a review of the operation of the restricted policy which applies to those sentenced to more than five years for an offence involving violence, sex, arson or drugs. This policy has the general effect of restricting parole eligibility to a few months at the end of sentence and was waived only in exceptional circumstances. The impending abolition of the policy was announced in the White Paper "Crime Justice and Protecting the Public", published in February 1990, which set out proposals for a wide change to new parole procedures in all cases to make sure that the length of sentence served would be more closely related to the length of sentence imposed by the court. I have decided that the restricted policy should now end for all prisoners. The Parole Board will, of course, continue to review each case carefully to ensure that full and proper account is taken of the need to protect the public in all its discussions.