Commentary on Sections Part 12 - Sentencing Chapter 6: Release of Prisoners on Licence Section 248: Power to release prisoners on compassionate grounds
579.This section re-enacts section 36 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991, and sets out the procedure for releasing fixed-term prisoners on compassionate grounds. The Secretary of State may only release prisoners on these grounds if exceptional circumstances exist (for example where the prisoner is suffering from a terminal illness). In such cases subsection (2) requires the Parole Board is to be consulted prior to release wherever possible.