Written question asked by Lord Kilclooney (Ulster Unionist Party), in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 7 February 1997. It was answered by John Wheeler (Conservative) on Friday, 7 February 1997 on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office.

Northern Ireland Office

Question: For what reasons prisoners serving life sentences in Northern Ireland do not have the right of access to dossiers concerning their life sentence review; and in what ways this differs from the situation in England and Wales.

Answer: Mr. John D. Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reasons prisoners serving life sentences in Northern Ireland do not have the right of access to dossiers concerning their life sentence review; and in what ways this differs from the situation in England and Wales. [14069] Sir John Wheeler: It is the practice of the Northern Ireland Office, influenced by considerations of public interest and confidentiality, not to give disclosure to life sentence prisoners of dossiers concerning their life sentence reviews. This practice is set in the context of circumstances in which the majority of life sentence prisoners have been convicted of very serious terrorist-related offences. Both the law and practice in England and Wales is different, where prisoners are normally entitled to disclosure of papers which are put to the Parole Board.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 289 c745-6W; 14069
Session: 1996-97
Subjects: Disclosure of information Northern Ireland Parole Prisoners Life imprisonment