Moved by
Baroness Barker
19: After Clause 2, insert the following new Clause—
“Provision of information to victims’ families
(1) Where the Parole Board makes a decision for which it is required to take into account a prisoner’s non-disclosure under section 1 or 2, the Parole Board must inform the relevant persons of—
(a) the timings of hearings where the prisoner’s release from prison is being considered;
(b) the relevant persons’ rights in relation to requesting a judicial review of the Parole Board’s decision;
(c) the length of the sentence that will have been served by the prisoner at the time of the hearing; and
(d) any other rights that the relevant persons have relating to the provision of information.
(2) The Parole Board must take reasonable steps to contact the relevant persons to ensure they have access to the information in subsection (1).
(3) The Parole Board must provide the relevant persons with the information in subsection (1) unless they declare to the Parole Board that they do not wish to receive such information.
(4) In this section, the relevant persons are—
(a) where the prisoner’s sentence has been imposed for murder or manslaughter, the victim’s parents or guardians, children and siblings; or
(b) where the prisoner’s sentence has been imposed for an offence relating to indecent images as defined by section 28B of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 (as inserted by section 1)—
(i) the victim or suspected victim (if the victim’s identity is not known for certain) if the victim or suspected victim is over the age of 18; or
(ii) the victim or suspected victim’s parents or guardians if the victim or suspected victim is under the age of 18.”
Member’s explanatory statement
This amendment would require the Parole Board to provide the victim, suspected victim, or their family with information relating to the prisoner’s hearing.