GovWire

The Parole Board Rules 2019 came into force on 22 July 2019. Since then, it has been amended several times by:

• Parole Board (Amendment) Rules 2022 The Parole Board (Amendment) Rules 2022

• Parole Board (Amendment) Rules 2023 The Parole Board (Amendment) Rules 2023

• Parole Board (Amendment) Rules 2024 The Parole Board (Amendment) Rules 2024

List of relevant changes following the Parole Board (Amendment) Rules 2024:

• Introduction of new delegated powers to enable the Parole Board secretariat to undertake some case management activities and make non-judicial decisions (phased implementation).
• Removal of Directions Hearings all Case Management Conferences and Directions Hearings will now be Case Management Conferences (implementation from 1st November 2024).
• Timeframe for observer requests applications by or on behalf all observers must now be made eight weeks before the hearing (implementation from 1st November 2024).
• Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) changes made to combine reviews. When dealing with a recalled IPP prisoner who qualifies for licence termination, that review will run concurrently with the consideration of release within one referral (implementation from 1st November 2024).
• The rules on proceeding with an oral hearing in the absence of either the prisoner, or the prisoner and the prisoners legal representative have been simplified - this can now take place in any case, where it is in the interests of justice to do so (implementation from 1st November 2024).
• Harmonising timescales in the rules timeframes for rule 20 and rule 28applications, like all others, will commence at the point the decision is sent to the parties, making them easier to calculate (implementation from 1st November 2024).
• Slip Rule amendments to restrict slip rule corrections to the period of up to 12 weeks after a decision becomes final (implementation from 1st November 2024).
• Changes to the reconsideration eligibility to bring all types of IPP licence termination decisions within scope of reconsideration (implementation from 1st November 2024).
• Amendments to the rule on error of procedure to make it clear that it does not apply to final decisions (implementation from 1st November 2024).

The majority of the amendments to the Rules came into force on 1st November 2024. Some changes to Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) licence terminations will come into force in February 2025 when wider changes about IPP licences also come into force. The changes to delegated powers (delegated authority) will be piloted initially before being rolled out more widely.

We have consolidated the Parole Board Rules with the relevant changes following the amendment to the Rules which can be found attached.