HL Deb 29 January 1998 vol 585 cc69-70WA
Lord Skideisky

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many life sentence prisoners, who were given minimum recommendations by the trial judge in open court and subsequently a lower tariff date, have been released on or around the date of the lower tariff in the last 10 years. [HU 921

Lord Williams of Mostyn

The information is not immediately available in the form requested. I shall write to the noble Lord as soon as the material is to hand.

Lord Skideisky

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, if a life sentence prisoner has been given a minimum recommendation and subsequently a lower tariff date, he should regard the former or the latter as a benchmark for his future release. [HL1931

Lord Williams of Mostyn

The latter. Before setting the tariff of a mandatory life sentenced prisoner, the Secretary of State will have taken careful account of the views of the judiciary (including any minimum recommendation made in court by the trial judge under the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965) on the minimum period which must be served to satisfy the requirements of retribution and deterrence. Thereafter, the tariff is used to set the date of the first review of the case by the Parole Board, which is generally two years before the tariff expires.