§ Baroness Haymanasked Her Majesty's Government:
When it is their policy to support a plea for clemency on compassionate grounds from a British national imprisoned overseas. [HL5070]
§ Baroness AmosDecisions on whether to support an application for clemency are taken at ministerial level. When considering an application for clemency on compassionate grounds, Ministers will as a general rule mirror the policy applied by the UK prison services when considering applications for early release on compassionate grounds submitted by prisoners in the UK. Each application for support will be considered on its merits on a case-by-case basis.
Ministers would not normally support a plea for clemency on compassionate grounds if a prisoner transfer agreement exists between the UK and the sentencing state and a transfer to the UK could he completed within a reasonable time frame. In such circumstances, any request for early or temporary release on compassionate grounds could then be made to the appropriate UK prison authority.