The previous Government published a Root and Branch Review of the Parole System in 2022, the conclusion of which was that a more precautionary approach was required to ensure that public protection is at the heart of the parole system. The then Government legislated for this precautionary approach in the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024. A key part of this approach was the creation of a ‘top-tier’ of offences, consisting of murder, rape, specified terrorism offences, terrorism-connected offences and causing/allowing the death of a child.
	Part of the precautionary approach centred on the Board recruiting more members with a law enforcement background. The Review concluded that the categories of statutory membership of the Parole Board should be expanded to include law enforcement members and to enable the Secretary of State to prescribe that members with particular expertise must sit on certain Parole Board panels. This was intended to be used to prescribe that law enforcement members should sit on top-tier cases.
	The provision to make law enforcement a statutory category of membership of the Board was commenced in February 2025. The Government has decided, however, that the power for the Secretary of State to require certain members to sit on certain Parole Board panels is unnecessary and is, therefore, repealing this provision.
Policy background Part 2: Management of offenders after sentencing Parole Board rules