§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the parents of James Bulger will be informed of what custodial tariff is to be applied to Jon Venables and Robert Thompson.
§ Mr. HowardI have not yet decided the period of custody to be served for retribution and deterrence in these 167W cases. When I have, I will consider what information might be given to the parents of James Bulger, and how that might best be done. In considering what information they might receive I will of course wish to take their own views fully in to account.
The arrangements for determining the period of custody which those convicted of murder are required to serve in order to satify the requirements for retribution and deterrence are set out in my replies of 27 July 1993 at columns 863-65, and 4 November 1993 at columns 376-78, to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Burton (Sir I. Lawrence).