Parole board boss can be sacked if decisions undermine public confidence

The parole board boss could be sacked by ministers if the organisation loses public confidence, reforms unveiled on Thursday revealed.

Dominic Raab, the Justice Secretary, announced that ministers will get new powers to dismiss the board chairman if decisions it takes undermine public confidence.

The powers will be part of a shake-up of the board’s role under the Victims and Prisoners Bill, which also gives the Secretary of State powers to block the release of the most dangerous criminals including murderers, rapists, terrorists and child killers.

Under the current laws, the chairman of the parole board, a quasi judicial body independent of the government, is appointed on three-year term and cannot be removed by ministers.

The only precedent was the resignation of Nick Hardwick after High Court judges overturned a parole board decision to release John Worboys, the black cab rapist. Mr Hardwick quit after David Gauke, then the justice secretary, told him his position was untenable.

It represents a further move by the Government to constrain the parole board, which has been criticised for decisions such as that on Worboys and more recently the release of Colin Pitchfork, a double child killer and rapist, who had to be recalled to prison after breaching his licence.

Some within judicial circles fear the move calls into question the independence of the board, but ministers believe it is necessary in the interests of public safety.

Mr Raab said: “It’s vital the public feel confident that the parole system is working efficiently to keep dangerous offenders off our streets.

“These reforms will provide ministers with the right levers to ensure the parole board continues to function properly, guaranteeing that public protection is at the centre of the system’s decision-making.”

The new Bill will also bar the parole board chairman from sitting on panels where decisions are taken on the release of prisoners in an attempt to turn the role into a job more akin to that of a company chairman rather than a judicial arbiter on releases.

Ministers say this will enable the holder of the post to “concentrate on the day job” ensuring that the board focuses on meeting the new demands placed on it by the proposed legislation. The changes will apply from October next year, when the current chairman steps down.

The Bill will also lay down tighter criteria for releases that put the emphasis on public safety first, toughen rules for transfers to open prison and allow the public and media to request that parole hearings be held in public.

Two have been held in public so far under changes introduced by the board, including one on Thursday at which the notorious Charles Bronson lost his bid to be released from prison.