The Parole Board (Amendment) Rules 2018

Citation and commencement

1.  These Rules may be cited as the Parole Board (Amendment) Rules 2018 and come into force on 22nd May 2018.

Application

2.  The amendments made by these Rules do not apply to any decision made by the Parole Board under rules 14 (consideration by a single member appointed under rule 5(1)) or 24 (the decision) before 22nd May 2018.

Amendment to the Parole Board Rules 2016

3.  For rule 25 (disclosure of information) of the Parole Board Rules 2016(1) substitute—

“Summaries of reasons and disclosure of information

25.— (1) Where the Secretary of State notifies the Board that a victim wishes to receive a summary of the reasons for a decision recorded under rules 14(7) or 24—

(a) the Board must produce a summary of the reasons for that decision, and

(b) the Secretary of State must disclose the summary to that victim,

unless the Board chair considers that there are exceptional circumstances why a summary should not be produced for disclosure.

(2) Where any other person seeks disclosure of a summary of the reasons for a decision recorded under rules 14(7) or 24, the Board must produce and disclose a summary to that person if the Board chair considers that the public interest in the principle of open justice justifies disclosure.

(3) Subject to paragraphs (1) and (2), information about proceedings under these Rules must not be disclosed, except in so far as the Board chair directs.

(4) Other than those of the parties, the names of persons concerned in proceedings under these Rules must not be disclosed under paragraphs (1) to (3).

(5) A contravention of paragraphs (3) or (4) or both, is actionable as a breach of statutory duty by any person who suffers loss or damage as a result.

(6) For the purposes of this rule—

“victim” means a person who is participating in the Victim Contact Scheme in respect of a prisoner who is party to proceedings under these Rules;

“Victim Contact Scheme” means the scheme set out in the Victims’ Code in accordance with section 32 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004(2).”.

Rory Stewart

Minister of State

Ministry of Justice

26th April 2018