To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of allowing a submission from (a) victims and (b) their families to be considered as part of the decision making process by the Parole Board in relation to a recommendation to transfer an offender to open prison.

Decisions on transferring prisoners to open conditions are made by the Secretary of State for Justice. For those prisoners serving indeterminate sentences, this decision will be taken following a recommendation made by the Parole Board. In these cases, victims are able to submit a Victim Personal Statement to the Parole Board. Where there is an oral hearing to consider the case, the victim may choose to attend the hearing to read their statement to the panel in person.

The Government published its Victims Strategy on 10 September and has committed to review the entitlements of victims and their families when going through the parole process.