§ Mr. Nicholas WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement of the detailed charges which were brought against Mr. Peter Clowes in connection with the collapse of the Barlow Clowes companies and related matters, and of which Mr. Clowes was convicted; what was the sentence awarded by the courts in this case; what part of the sentence has so far been completed; what stage in the process of parole has been reach; if he will set out all statements made by the courts or parole authorities about the extent to which Mr. Clowes has had sufficient time in prison satisfactorily to consider and appreciate the impact of his action upon his victims; and if he will make it his policy to ensure that Mr. Clowes remains in prison for the full term of his sentence. [39325]
§ Miss Widdecombe[holding answer 25 October 1995]: Mr. Peter Clowes was convicted in February 1992 on eight counts of making a false statement to induce investment contrary to section 13(1) of the Prevention of Fraud (Investments) Act 1958 and on ten counts of theft contrary to section 1(1) of the Theft Act 1968. Mr. Clowes was sentenced to ten years imprisonment in all. To date he has served about three years eight and a half months of that sentence.
Mr. Clowes became eligible for parole in June this year. All prisoners, like Mr. Clowes, who were sentenced before 1 October 1992 to sentences of 12 months imprisonment or more become eligible to be considered for parole after serving one third of their sentence. Mr. Clowes was not granted parole at his first review. His legal representatives sought leave to move for a judicial review of that decision. Leave was refused but an appeal against that refusal was successful. The decision not to grant parole will therefore be subject to judicial review. This aspect of Mr. Clowes' case is therefore sub judice and I regret that I am unable to give details of his parole reports.
Once eligible for parole, prisoners such as Mr. Clowes are assessed annually by the Parole Board and if release on licence is not recommended they are released unconditionally once they have served two thirds of their sentence. If Mr. Clowes is not granted parole he can expect to be released in October 1998.