HC Deb 16 February 1999 vol 325 cc617-9W
Mr. MacKay

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons convicted of a qualifying offence set out in the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 have been released from prison under the Accelerated Release Scheme. [70143]

Mr. Ingram

To date, there have been 241 prisoners released under the terms of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998. This is drawn from information received by the Secretary of State as at 9 February 1999 from the Sentence Review Commissioners to whom prisoners apply for early release.

Mr. MacKay

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons released from prison in Northern Ireland under the terms of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998, were serving(a) a fixed term sentence of at least five years and (b) imprisonment for life. [70142]

Mr. Ingram

In order to be eligible for release under the terms of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998, persons must be serving fixed term sentences of 5 years or more, or imprisonment for life. All those released fall into these categories. A breakdown is given.

This is drawn from information received by the Secretary of State as at 9 February 1999 from the Sentence Review Commissioners to whom prisoners apply for early release.

Life sentence/fixed term Total
Lifers 74
Fixed term 167
Grand total 241

Mr. MacKay

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons convicted of qualifying offences will be eligible for accelerated release from prison under the terms set out in the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998. [70224]

Mr. Ingram

To date, there have been 241 prisoners released under the terms of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998, with a further 150 prisoners who have successfully applied to the Sentence Review Commission and who have received Substantive Determinations with a release date in the future. This gives a total of 391 eligible prisoners. This is drawn from information received by the Secretary of State as at 9 February 1999 from the Sentence Review Commissioners to whom prisoners apply for early release.

Mr. MacKay

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons convicted of a scheduled offence, including murder, and serving a fixed term sentence of at least five years will still be in prison two years from the date of the commencement of the Accelerated Release Scheme set out in the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998. [70141]

Mr. Ingram

Persons eligible for consideration for the Accelerated Release Scheme who will still be in prison two years from the date of the commencement of the Accelerated Release Scheme will includethose who have not applied to the Sentence Review Commission those who, although eligible to apply, and having made application, have failed to satisfy the criteria for release those who at the second anniversary of the commencement of the Scheme will not have served the minimum period required under Section 10(7) of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998.

At this point in time it is not possible to quantify how many eligible persons may still be in prison on the date in question.