Plenary Minutes 2007

MINUTES OF THE PLENARY MEETING OF THE SENTENCE REVIEW COMMISSIONERS HELD IN 2006

MINUTE OF THE PLENARY MEETING OF THE SENTENCE REVIEW COMMISSIONERS HELD ON THURSDAY 15 MARCH 2007

1. The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed
   
2. Copies of a new form for further applications were circulated and Commissioners agreed to adopt it for use.
   
3. Consideration of relevant legal issues and associated procedures in cases simultaneously being considered by SRC/LSRC would take place before the next plenary. A meeting with LSRC would also be set up to discuss such cases.
   
4. Commissioners heard an update on the current caseload and were informed that the Court of Appeal had recently dismissed an application from a prisoner for leave to judicially review one of their previous decisions.
   
5. It was agreed that figures should be obtained from the Prison Service on the number of prisoners who have had their licence suspended but have not applied for a review of the suspension. As it was clear from the wording of Rule 28 that Commissioners had a duty to consider these cases whether or not the prisoner made an application it was also agreed that the policy and process should be revised to take account of this.
   
6. Although Windsor House had been sold Commissioners were told that as yet the future for sitting tenants was unclear.
   
7. Commissioners discussed the way “damaging information” was being presented and agreed to take a robust stance in respect of the gist provided if they considered it to be lacking in substance.
   
8. The Commissioners' Annual Report would be laid in parliament on Thursday 12 July.
   
9. The date of the next meeting was set for Thursday 6 September at 11.00am.

26 March 2007