Parole Board for Scotland

Parole Board for Scotland

Logo of the Parole Board for Scotland
Agency overview
Formed	1967; 57 years ago (1967)
Type	tribunal non-departmental public body
Jurisdiction	Scotland
Headquarters	Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3XD 55°56′06″N 3°10′58″W / 55.93489°N 3.18291°W / 55.93489; -3.18291
Minister responsible	Keith Brown MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Justice
Agency executives	John Watt, Chairman Colin Spivey, Chief Executive
Parent department	Justice Directorate of the Scottish Government
Key document	Prisons (Scotland) Act 1989
Website	www.scottishparoleboard.scot
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The Parole Board for Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Bòrd Cead-saoraidh na h-Alba) is a tribunal non-departmental public body in Scotland first established in 1967, with responsibility for parole decisions. Its decision making and operating are independent of the Scottish Government, and many of its decisions are binding on Scottish Ministers. The Parole Board has statutory powers to:

• Recommend the release of prisoners with determinate sentences or extended sentences of 4 years or more (with licence where required);
• Direct the release of prisoners with life sentences on life licence;
• Recommend the conditions to be attached to prisoners' non-parole licences;
• Recommend the recall to prison, in the public interest, of anyone released on parole, non-parole or life licence;
• Direct the re-release of prisoners recalled to prison.

The Parole Board also has the power to advise the Scottish Ministers on additional conditions on prisoners' release licences, and it operates as appellate body for alleged breaches of Home Detention Curfew. The Parole Board can only make a determination where the Scottish Ministers refer a case.

John Watt is the current chairman having been appointed to that position on 1 January 2013.