Gauke postpones identification of Parole Board in wake of Worboys
THE Justice Secretary has delayed a decision on whether to meet the demands of campaigners and Tory MPS and name Parole Board members in the wake of the John Worboys scandal.
David Gauke has announced that a new review, due to report back later this year, will consider whether the need for greater transparency outweighs concerns about the security of Parole Board members.
The delay is likely to disappoint campaigners, who have been calling on Mr Gauke to identify board members as part of a bid to ensure that there is greater transparency.
However, Mr Gauke also made a series of new commitments to reform the board, including making it easier to appeal against its decisions without resorting to an “onerous” and costly
‘I am determined to lead a thorough reform process, the first action of which we launched today’
judicial review. Under plans being consulted on by the Government, appeals will be led by judges and hearings will be open to the public. He will also require the board to provide reasoning for its decisions and improve communication with victims.
It comes after the Government was heavily criticised for failing to appeal against a decision by the board to release “black cab rapist “Worboys earlier this year. It was instead left to victims to mount a legal challenge in the High Court to stop his release. It subsequently emerged that board members had released Worboys after being convinced by his claims that he was genuinely sorry for his actions and no longer posed a threat.
Nick Hardwick, the former head of the Parole Board who was forced out by Mr Gauke over the scandal, has joined campaigners in calling for the names of those on Parole Boards to be made public. He said last week: “The board should now publish comprehensive explanations of its decisions and the evidence considered. These should be available to all in an online register of all Parole Board cases and decisions.
“If all that works, the next step should be for the panel chair to have discretion to admit victims, media and others to attend all or part of a hearing.”
Zac Goldsmith, a Tory MP who has been campaigning for greater transparency, said: “There is a lot to welcome in this announcement. The fact that explanations for decisions will be made public, and that victims will have a free mechanism for getting bad decisions reviewed is fantastic news.
“The Justice Secretary is still open to making the names of Parole Board panel members public, and for the sake of transparency I hope that happens.
“None of this would be happening were it not for the bravery and tenacity of Worboys’ victims, and they deserve huge credit.”
Mr Gauke said: “We have moved at pace to address the shortcomings of the parole system which the Worboys case has brought to light. But we must take a balanced approach. I am determined to lead a thorough reform process, the first action of which we launched today.”