§ Mr. GunnellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the statutory basis for the ineligibility for parole of those serving sentence for murder who have never admitted their guilt;
(2) how many prisoners, serving sentences for murder, are ineligible for parole at all times having never admitted their guilt.
§ Mr. Peter LloydPrisoners serving the mandatory life sentence for murder are released on life licence, not parole. There is no statutory basis, rule or policy which automatically prevents a prisoner who denies guilt from being released from custody although a prisoner's willingness and ability to tackle their offending behaviour is an important element in the difficult process of assessing potential future risk. However, mandatory life sentence prisoners who deny their guilt can be, and have been, released on life licence if the parole board so recommends and the Secretary of State accepts the recommendation.