Written question asked by Mark Oaten (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 12 December 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 14 December 2005. It was answered by Fiona Mactaggart (Labour) on Monday, 16 January 2006 on behalf of the Home Office.

Prisoner Licences

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Early Release and Recall Section of the National Offender Management Service monitors the performance of individual prisons in releasing recalled prisoners before their licence expiry date (LED); and what action is taken where a prison is known to have held a prisoner beyond their LED.

Answer: It is the responsibility of Prison Service senior managers to monitor the performance of individual prisons.Recalled prisoners can only be re-released if their sentence has expired or the Parole Board has recommended release. In taking into account whether to re-release a recalled prisoner sentenced under the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1991, the Parole Board is required to have regard to the prisoner's licence expiry date.If it comes to the attention of the Release and Recall Section or the Prison Service that a recalled prisoner is, for any reason, being held beyond the date of their re-release, staff are required to take immediate steps to facilitate the release process.

Secondary information