§ 22. Mr. BrowneTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to introduce legislation to make convicted murderers deported back to Scotland subject to the same supervision as those released on licence from Scottish prisons. [41271]
§ Mr. McLeishThe Government are conscious of and share the concern that United Kingdom nationals, deported to this country from overseas jurisdictions on the completion of their sentences for serious crimes cannot be made subject to supervision. However, tackling the issue raises a number of complex legal and practical issues not least the need to ensure that any statutory obligations placed on returning prisoners do not result in an aggravation of their sentence. Consideration is at present being given to possible options to address the issue.