§ Mrs. EllmanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial and other assistance is available at the time of release for prisoners freed by the Court of Appeal on grounds of wrongful conviction; and if he will make a statement. [121937]
§ Mr. StrawMost prisoners when released from prison are given a discharge grant to help them meet their immediate needs. The position of prisoners discharged from court after a sentence has been quashed or reduced on appeal is that they would normally be entitled to a grant provided they have been in custody for at least nine days of their sentence.
In cases of wrongful conviction where it has been decided that an individual qualifies for payment of compensation, he or she may then apply for an interim payment to help alleviate any immediate financial difficulties.
Funding has been made available this year to enable a voluntary body, familiar with prisoner resettlement issues, to develop, on a national basis, an advice and counselling service specifically geared to the needs of successful appellants. We hope to be entering into discussions soon with possible providers of such a service. The Probation Service may also provide assistance on a voluntary basis.