To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his general policy to release the relevant medical records of convicted murderers prior to their release.
No.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all those convicted murderers since 1979 who have been released from prison and subsequently were convicted for another murder.
I assume that the question relates to convicted murderers released since 1979. There have been five: J. W. Charlton; K. Pollard; J. Johnson; M. N. Robinson; and M. J. Green.
| Year | Force | Additional cost £ | Percentage increase in costs between each year |
| (a) Labour | |||
| 1987 | Sussex | 23,000 | — |
| 1988 | Lancashire | 61,000 | + 165 |
| 1989 | Sussex | 4,000 | - 93 |
| 1990 | Lancashire | 97,545 | + 2,339 |
| 1991 | Sussex | 10,000 | - 90 |
| Percentage change between 1987 and 1991 = -57 per cent | |||
| (b) Conservative | |||
| 1987 | Lancashire | 829,000 | — |
| 1988 | Sussex | 1,400,000 | + 69 |
| 1989 | Lancashire | 1,080,000 | - 23 |
| 1990 | Dorset | 2,000,000 | + 85 |
| 1991 | Lancashire | 1,379,000 | - 31 |
| Percentage change between 1987 and 1991 = +66 per cent | |||
| (c) Liberal Democrats | |||
| No identifiable | |||
| 1987 | N.A. | policing costs | — |
| No identifiable | |||
| 1988 | Lancashire | policing costs | — |
| No identifiable | |||
| 1989 | Sussex | policing costs | — |
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors were considered in the decision to release convicted murderers from prison after serving sentence for a first murder.
My right hon. Friend may release a life sentence prisoner only if recommended to do so by the Parole Board and after consultation with the Lord Chief Justice and the trial judge if available. The main factors which are taken into account are whether the prisoner has been detained long enough to satisfy the requirements of retribution and deterrence for the offence, and whether it is considered safe to release him to the community.