Division 3 — Third stage
Admission to third stage
20.—(1)  Subject to paragraph (2), the question whether a prisoner in the second stage shall be admitted to the third stage, and the date of his admission, shall be decided by the Minister on recommendations made by the Director.
(2)  The date of admission of any prisoner to the third stage shall not be more than 12 months before the date on which he will have served two-thirds of his sentence.
(3)  The Director, when a prisoner is brought before him under paragraph (1), shall consider not only the prisoner’s conduct in the second stage but whether he expects to be able within the period served in the third stage to recommend the prisoner’s release on licence.
(4)  Where the Director defers his decision under paragraph (3), he shall consider the case again at intervals of not less than 6 months each.
Length of third stage
21.  The period to be served in the third stage shall not in any case be less than 6 months and shall not normally exceed 12 months.
Training, etc., in third stage
22.—(1)  During the third stage every effort shall be made, by special industrial and social training and otherwise, to fit a person to take his place in normal social life on discharge.
(2)  As and when suitable arrangements can be made, prisoners in the third stage, or in the latter part thereof, may be permitted to live in conditions of modified security designed to form a transition from prison life to freedom.
(3)  The Director may at any time order the return of a prisoner to the second stage if it appears to him to be in the interests of the prisoner or of other prisoners to do so, and the Superintendent, if he considers it necessary, may so order in his discretion, subject to confirmation by the Director.
(4)  The intention of paragraph (1) shall as far as practicable be carried out for prisoners who are not selected for the third stage during the last period of 6 to 12 months before their date of release on licence under regulation 25.