- law will change to lift blanket ban on public parole hearings
- new powers for Deputy Prime Minister to oppose and challenge
the release of dangerous offenders
- part of landmark reforms to prioritise public safety in
Parole Board decisions
As part of landmark reforms to boost transparency and increase
public confidence, the Deputy Prime Minister will also get extra
powers to challenge Parole Board decisions – including where new,
violent behaviour by offenders comes to light - and give his view
earlier in the process.
These are the first legislative changes as part of the
Government’s reforms, announced in March, to put public
protection at the heart of decision-making and ensure prisoners
who still pose a risk are kept behind bars.
A statutory instrument being laid today (30 June 2022) will allow
the measures to take effect from 21 July 2022.
Anyone will be able to apply for a public hearing, with the
Parole Board making the final decision on whether to do so. These
decisions will consider the welfare and interest of victims and
reach a conclusion based on the ‘interests of justice’. This move
follows calls for greater transparency after the decision to
release black cab rapist John Worboys in 2018.
Recommendations for release or moves to open prison for the most
serious offenders - including murderers, rapists, terrorists and
those who have caused or allowed the death of a child - will also
now be made by the Deputy Prime Minister before going to the
Parole Board for its final decision.
After carefully considering expert and professional advice, the
Deputy Prime Minister will give his view on whether the prisoner
would be safe to be released. Making the ministerial view clear
from the outset will provide another safeguard to help keep our
streets safe from dangerous prisoners – removing any ambiguity
from the process.
Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for
Justice, , said:
This is the first step in our reforms to the parole process. We
are making proceedings more transparent, so victims and the
public can see justice being done. I am also making sure there is
one, crystal clear, recommendation from the Justice Secretary
when it comes to the risk of release of the most serious
offenders.
We are overhauling the system, to make sure public protection is
the overriding the priority.
As part of today’s changes, the Deputy Prime Minister will be
given stronger powers to challenge Parole Board decisions.
Under current rules he can only ask for a decision to be
reconsidered if it is irrational or procedures were not followed.
He will now be able to ask for a case to be looked at again if
there is a change in the prisoner’s circumstances, such as
violent behaviour, or if there is new information which was not
available to the Board at the time.
In due course this will be bolstered by further reforms,
including a tougher Parole Board release test and powers to
scrutinise and block the release of the most dangerous offenders.
Victims in the south-west will also be able to attend parole
hearings as an observer from autumn, as part of a pilot ahead of
national roll out next year. We will also bring forward further
legislation to require the Parole Board to take account of
victims’ submissions when making release decisions.
Notes to editors
- The statutory instrument (SI) will be laid today (30 June
2022) to amend the current rules and will come into effect on 21
July 2022.
- The parole system reforms are set out on GOV.UK - Root and Branch Review
of the Parole System
