What does the Parole Board do?

The Parole Board was set up in 1968 to recommend whether prisoners can be released from jail on licence. It deals with offenders sentenced to life, those given indeterminate sentences for public protection, and prisoners who - like Ronnie Biggs - were given a fixed jail term before April 2005 of more than four years but less than life.

Applications are dealt with by a three member panel. Some are heard orally, at which the prisoner can appear, but others are dealt with on paper. Biggs' case is being dealt with on paper.

Panels are drawn from members of the Board, which comprises 47 judges and magistrates, 21 psychiatrists, 8 psychologists, 11 members of the probation service, 4 criminologists and 73 independent members.

Times Archive, 1965: Train trial man escapes

Ronald Arthur Biggs, serving 30 years, escaped yesterday afternoon from Wandsworth gaol with three other convicts

• Archive Topic: The Great Train Robbery

Related Links

• Biggs recommended for early release

• Biggs aims to spend 80th birthday a free man

How does the Board reach a decision ?

The Board has a dossier, which will include a report from the prison service about the offender's period in custody, plus a full assessment by a probation officer. This includes previous offending history, information about the victim, a risk assessment carried out at the time of sentencing of causing serious harm to the public and reoffending, courses taken while in jail to deal with offending behaviour, and other problems such as drug and alcohol abuse. It also includes current risk assessment.

In Biggs' case it appears that the probation report does not raise objections to his release.

There also has to be a resettlement and supervision plan, and an assessment of the support available from an offender’s family.

What is the key issue for the Board to consider in Biggs’ application ?

It is whether he is likely to reoffend during the remaining 20 years left on the 30 year sentence that was imposed on him in 1964. If he is freed it will be on licence, to which the Parole Board can attach conditions.

How quickly will the Board make its decision known?

In Biggs' case the three man panel has two working days to inform the Parole Board. The Board then sends its recommendation to Jack Straw, the justice secretary.

Can Jack Straw, the justice secretary, veto Bigg's release?

Yes. The justice secretary has lost the power to reject recommendations on lifers and those given indeterminate sentences for public protection. However, among his remaining powers are that he can reject a recommendation in a case such as Biggs where a person is serving a fixed term sentence of more than four years given prior to 2005. The justice secretary can also reject a recommendation that a lifer be moved to an open prison.

Times Recommends

• Foxy Knoxy snared by her lust and her lies
• Britain is the land of the shrinking family
• Zac Goldsmith: Not such a green god