Overview

This bill aims to ensure that murderers who withhold information about the location of their victim's remains face tougher penalties and are denied parole. It creates a new offence for refusing to disclose this information and introduces stricter parole eligibility rules for those convicted of murder.

Description

The Unlawful Killing (Recovery of Remains) Bill introduces two key changes to the law regarding murder convictions in England and Wales.

Parole Restrictions

For murderers convicted before the bill's enactment, those with knowledge of their victim's remains location will be ineligible for parole until that information is disclosed and the remains recovered. For those convicted after the bill's enactment, refusing to disclose such information will result in a mandatory whole life sentence until both the information is given and the remains are found.

New Offence

The bill creates a separate criminal offence of withholding information about a murder victim's remains. This offence carries a minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and/or a fine.

Government Spending

The bill is unlikely to significantly increase government spending. The main cost implications would relate to potential increases in prison sentences, which could have some impact on prison capacity. No specific figures were provided in the bill text.

Groups Affected

• Murderers: Those convicted of murder will face harsher penalties if they refuse to disclose the location of their victim's remains, potentially including a whole life sentence or extended imprisonment.
• Families of Murder Victims: This bill could benefit families by increasing the likelihood of recovering their loved ones' remains, potentially providing closure.
• The Parole Board: The Parole Board's workload may increase due to the added restrictions regarding parole for murderers.
• The Prison Service: The Prison Service may experience increased pressure due to longer prison sentences potentially resulting from this bill.

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