The Parole Board Rules 2016

Hearing procedure

23.—(1) At the beginning of the hearing the panel chair must—

(a) explain the order of proceeding which the oral panel plans to adopt, and

(b) invite each party present to state their view as to the suitability of the prisoner for release or for transfer to open conditions, as applicable.

(2) The oral panel—

(a) must avoid formality during the hearing;

(b) may ask any question to satisfy itself of the level of risk of the prisoner, and

(c) must conduct the hearing in a manner it considers most suitable to the clarification of the issues before it and to the just handling of the proceedings.

(3) The parties are entitled to—

(a) take such part in the proceedings as the oral panel thinks fit;

(b) hear each other’s witnesses and representations;

(c) put questions to each other;

(d) call a witness who has been called in accordance with rule 20, and

(e) question any witness appearing before the oral panel.

(4) If, in the opinion of the panel chair, any person at the hearing is behaving in a disruptive manner, the panel chair may require that person to leave.

(5) The panel chair may permit a person who was required to leave under paragraph (4) to return on such conditions as the panel chair may specify.

(6) An oral panel may produce or receive in evidence any document or information whether or not it would be admissible in a court of law.

(7) No person is compelled to give any evidence or produce any document which they could not be compelled to give or produce on the trial of an action.

(8) The panel chair may require any person present to leave the hearing where evidence which has been directed to be withheld from the prisoner or their representative is to be considered.

(9) After all the evidence has been given, if the prisoner is present at the hearing, the prisoner must be given an opportunity to address the oral panel.