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Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill

178A: Before Clause 113, insert the following new Clause— ““Duty to release certain prisoners serving a whole life sentence In Chapter 2 of Part 1 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 after section 28 insert— ““28A Duty to release certain prisoners serving a whole life sentence (1) In the case of a life prisoner who has been made subject to a whole life order, and has served 30 years of his sentence, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State, with the consent of the Lord Chief Justice and the trial judge if available, to refer the case to the Parole Board. (2) If the Parole Board is satisfied— (a) that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that the prisoner should be confined, and (b) that in all the circumstances the release of the prisoner on licence would be in the interests of justice, the Parole Board may direct his release under this section. (3) Where the Parole Board has directed a prisoner’s release under this section, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of State to release him on licence.””””