Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times he has (a) accepted and (b) not accepted a Parole Board recommendation of prisoner progression to the Category D estate in each of the last four quarters.

The Secretary of State (or an official with delegated responsibility) will accept a recommendation from the Parole Board to approve an indeterminate sentenced prisoner (ISP) for open conditions, only where all criteria of the policy has been met. The policy and guidance were updated in June 2022. When considering whether to accept Parole Board recommendations for open conditions, each case is considered on its own merits, against the terms of the policy, taking into account all of the information provided. A period in open conditions is not essential in order for the Parole Board to direct release and time in open conditions must not be at the expense of public protection. The Prison Service operates progression regimes in four closed prisons which provide an alternative for prisoners unsuitable for open conditions. These allow prisoners to demonstrate the progress they have made in custody while minimising the risk to the public.

Below is a breakdown of how many times the Secretary of State for Justice has accepted and not accepted the Parole Board’s recommendation: