Prisoners: Imprisonment for Public Protection Sentences

Lord Cormack Excerpts

Wednesday 11th November 2015 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

As I said, we have taken steps to improve the efficiency of the Parole Board, and we allocated an additional £1.2 million of funding to help it deal with the backlog, which is improving: since January, there has been an 18% reduction. But we accept that there is more to be done, and we will focus our energy to make sure that the backlog continues to decrease.

[Lord Cormack (Con)]

My Lords, given the widespread concern on this issue, and given that the protection of the public is something we must also take closely into account, will my noble friend and her friends in the department arrange for a confidential briefing for Members of this House on why some of these people are serving such very long sentences?

[Baroness Evans of Bowes Park]

I am certainly happy to speak to my noble friend Lord Faulks about that when he returns. I am sure he would be happy to do that.