Found: custody, our work to tackle unsustainable growth in the prison population through measures in the Sentencing Bill

Found: The sentencing Bill includes several recommendations aimed at reducing the number of women imprisoned

Found: Justice and International to Lord Strathclyde, Chair of the Constitution Committee, regarding the Sentencing Bill

Found: Warinder Juss: Finally from me, when the Sentencing Bill becomes operational, it is going to result in

Found: Q437 Warinder Juss: Finally from me, when the Sentencing Bill becomes operational, it is going to result

Found: Q437 Warinder Juss: Finally from me, when the Sentencing Bill becomes operational, it is going to result

Found: With the Sentencing Bill — which introduces a presumption against short prison sentences other than

Found: With the Sentencing Bill — which introduces a presumption against short prison sentences other than in

Found: Northern Ireland Scrutiny Committee to Alex Norris MP, Minister for Border Security and Asylum, re: Sentencing Bill

Found: Letter from Alex Norris MP (Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Home Office) re Sentencing Bill,

Found: be, particularly at a time when these reform measures are interacting with the reforms in the Sentencing Bill

Found: be, particularly at a time when these reform measures are interacting with the reforms in the Sentencing Bill

Found: We are implementing measures through the Sentencing Bill to put prisons on a stable and sustainable

Found: , there are lots of representations or proposals from the Gauke review coming through in the Sentencing Bill

Found: A lot of our work is around delivering the Sentencing Bill, implementing it and investing in prisons

Found: We now have the Sentencing Bill going through, which will substantially alleviate that crisis.

Found: even more custodial sentences, undoing the work of reducing prison numbers as set out in the Sentencing Bill

Found: Having looked at the provisions as now in the Sentencing Bill, I am less clear how that works, to be

Found: Letter from the Lord Chancellor regarding the Sentencing Bill Correspondence

Found: We will hopefully have a violence against women strategy, a sentencing Bill and a mental health Bill

Found: their work on human rights, youth justice, and Ministry of Justice legislation, such as the Sentencing Bill

Found: The impact of the Sentencing Bill – expanding alternatives to custody is welcome, but success depends

Found: It has taken some very brave decisions, as we are seeing in the Sentencing Bill.

Found: It has taken some very brave decisions, as we are seeing in the Sentencing Bill.

Found: Scope of Sentencing Bill measures on domestic abuse tagging In response to the Committee’s query regarding

Found: Chair: Just before we move off the thorny issue of politicians and the judiciary, in part of the Sentencing Bill

Found: Chair: Just before we move off the thorny issue of politicians and the judiciary, in part of the Sentencing Bill

Found: Under-Secretary of State for Sentencing, Youth Justice and International and Assistant Whip, re: Sentencing Bill

Found: Letter to the Lord Chancellor from the JCHR on the Sentencing Bill response Correspondence

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the proposed change to standard recall length, from the current 28 days to 56 days, on pregnant women and mothers of dependent children.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Recall is a last resort for cases where risk in the community becomes unmanageable.

The Department published an Equalities Impact Statement alongside the Sentencing Act, which can be found here: Sentencing Bill equalities statement.

It was assessed that the Act’s recall measures will not disproportionately impact those with protected characteristics.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to protect women and girls from violent offenders who have been released.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

This Government was elected with a landmark mission: to halve violence against women and girls within a decade. The ‘Freedom from violence and abuse: a cross-government strategy’ sets out stronger perpetrator management, including the commitment to nationally rollout Domestic Abuse Protection Orders across all police forces in England and Wales, which is critical in meeting this government ambition.

The Probation Service robustly manages offenders released from custody with a range of tools in the community and can respond to any breaches of licence with recall to prison where appropriate. The Sentencing Bill strengthens this by giving new powers to Probation to prohibit offenders from driving, attending public events and entering pubs, clubs and bars. It also introduces restriction zones, which will limit the movements of serious sexual and violent offenders to a specific geographical area, where appropriate, giving victims the peace of mind they deserve.

Further, regarding Electronic Monitoring (EM), the Domestic Abuse Perpetrators on Licence (DAPOL) pilot operates across eight probation regions, allowing Probation Practitioners to impose electronically monitored licence conditions on eligible prison leavers at the point of release from custody where necessary and proportionate. Conditions may include curfews, exclusion zones, required attendance at specified appointments, and GPS trail monitoring, with multiple applied risk assessments support it. DAPOL can also run alongside Alcohol Monitoring on Licence (AML) where alcohol misuse is linked to risk. Evaluation findings indicate that DAPOL provides reassurance to victims, with Victim Liaison Officers reporting that the ability to evidence breaches quickly helps reduce victim anxiety and strengthens confidence in the justice system.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when will the strategic governance review of the Probationary Service be published.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The Government has committed to undertake a strategic review of the Probation Service in its manifesto. We remain committed to this and will review governance arrangements, looking at local partnerships across England and Wales.

This work will follow implementation of the Sentencing Bill reforms, which will significantly change how the Probation Service operates. Governance arrangements must be designed to enable and support the effective delivery of these reforms. Our priority is to ensure the Probation Service is on a stable footing and performance has improved before undertaking the review.

In the meantime, this Government will continue to strengthen joint working with local partners to reduce reoffending and better protect the public.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of court backlogs on health outcomes for prisoners held on remand.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

The Government inherited a justice system in crisis, with a record and rising open caseload of nearly 80,000 criminal cases waiting to be heard in the Crown Court and too many victims waiting years for justice. That is why the Government commissioned Sir Brian Leveson to conduct an Independent Review of the Criminal Courts. On 2 December, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a major programme of court reform to tackle these unacceptable delays and restore confidence in the criminal justice system. As part of our ongoing efforts to improve timeliness and efficiency in our criminal courts, we also asked Sir Brian to review court operations and make recommendations designed to boost court efficiency in Part 2 of his review. We are awaiting that report in the New Year and will look to act on its recommendations.

We are committed to working with our health partners to ensure that people in prison including those on remand have access to an equivalent standard, range and quality of health care in prisons to that available in the wider community to support their health outcomes. This is reflected in the National Partnership Agreement on Health and Social Care in England. This includes access to a range of treatments and interventions within prison as set out in the national service specification for mental health care in prisons.

For prisoners with severe mental health needs, the Mental Health Act (2025) received Royal Assent in December and contains several flagship reforms to improve access to mental health care and treatment, including, but not limited to, provisions to:

• Introduce a new statutory 28-day time limit for transfers from prison and other places of detention to hospital to reduce unnecessary delays experienced by prisoners who require mental health treatment.

• Stop courts temporarily detaining people with severe mental illness in prison as a ‘place of safety’ whilst awaiting a hospital bed for treatment or assessment under the Mental Health Act; and

• End the use of remand for own protection under the Bail Act where the court’s sole concern is the defendant’s mental health.

We will implement these reforms as soon as it is safe to do so.

The Sentencing Bill, currently being considered before parliament, introduces a package of amendments to the Bail Act (1976), which, alongside the presumption to suspend short sentences of 12 months or less, will help to address the unsustainable growth in the prison remand population.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure the effectiveness of the proposed expansion of electronic monitoring of offenders in helping to (a) reduce reoffending and (b) support rehabilitation.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

In support of the Sentencing Bill, the Ministry of Justice will significantly expand the use of electronic monitoring as a vital tool for probation to ensure offenders are managed safely in the community.

This expansion builds on the Department’s long-standing commitment to building the evidence base for electronic monitoring. Our evaluations, alongside external research commissioned by the Department, have provided clear evidence that targeted electronic monitoring conditions can reduce reoffending and support reintegration by providing an effective alternative to custody. A recent study has found that curfew tags reduce reoffending by 20% when used as part of a community sentence. Further to this, our Acquisitive Crime pilot evaluation shows that burglars, robbers, and thieves given a constant whereabouts monitoring condition with a GPS tag were around 20% less likely to reoffend while on the tag.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of early releases with the principles of justice.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

We must ensure that there are always sufficient prison places for dangerous offenders and those who pose a risk to the public. We are building 14,000 prison places and will have more prisoners by the time of the next election than the last. We take every possible step to mitigate risk, working in collaboration with partners across the Criminal Justice System. The introduction of the Sentencing Bill will bring an end to temporary early release measures and put the system back on a sustainable footing, ensuring sentences are served in a way that balances punishment, rehabilitation, and public safety.

We also recognise the importance of maintaining confidence in the justice system for victims and their families when designing these reforms and will continue to assess these impacts throughout implementation. Ministers and policy officials have been pleased to meet with victims’ stakeholders through a mix of individual meetings, roundtables and sector-wide engagement groups. We remain committed to continuing to engage with the victim sector to understand the impact of these changes.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the impact of early releases on (a) victims and (b) victims' families.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

We must ensure that there are always sufficient prison places for dangerous offenders and those who pose a risk to the public. We are building 14,000 prison places and will have more prisoners by the time of the next election than the last. We take every possible step to mitigate risk, working in collaboration with partners across the Criminal Justice System. The introduction of the Sentencing Bill will bring an end to temporary early release measures and put the system back on a sustainable footing, ensuring sentences are served in a way that balances punishment, rehabilitation, and public safety.

We also recognise the importance of maintaining confidence in the justice system for victims and their families when designing these reforms and will continue to assess these impacts throughout implementation. Ministers and policy officials have been pleased to meet with victims’ stakeholders through a mix of individual meetings, roundtables and sector-wide engagement groups. We remain committed to continuing to engage with the victim sector to understand the impact of these changes.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of his Department's progress towards its target of increasing prison capacity.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

This Government inherited a prison system in collapse. We have taken decisive action to put prison capacity on a sustainable footing and end the cycle of repeated crises.

We have committed to the largest expansion of the estate since the Victorians, investing £7 billion in building prison places between 2024/25 and 2029/30. We are on track to deliver 14,000 new prison places by 2031 with c. 2,900 delivered already under this Government.

On top of this, we have introduced landmark sentencing reforms to end our prisons crisis – and deliver punishment that cuts crime. On 2 September we introduced the Sentencing Bill to take forward most of the recommendations made by David Gauke’s Independent Sentencing Review, as well as the measures that go further to manage offenders in the community. The House of Lords committee stage was concluded on 3 December.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to Written Question 11190, what steps his department plans to take to reduce the remand population over the next calendar year.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

We continue to work closely with partners from across the criminal justice system to manage the growth in the prison remand population. The Sentencing Bill, currently being considered before parliament, introduces a package of amendments to the Bail Act 1976, which, alongside the presumption to suspend short sentences of 12 months or less, will help to address the unsustainable growth in the prison remand population.

This package of amendments includes changing the “no real prospect” test in the Bail Act 1976 so that fewer exceptions to bail will apply where the court considers that a sentence of immediate custody is unlikely. We are also adding to the factors that the courts must consider when deciding whether to refuse or grant bail to include consideration of whether the defendant is pregnant, a primary caregiver, or a victim of domestic abuse.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2024 to Question 11190, what progress he has made on tackling remand numbers.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

We continue to work closely with partners from across the criminal justice system to manage the growth in the prison remand population. The Sentencing Bill, currently being considered before parliament, introduces a package of amendments to the Bail Act 1976, which, alongside the presumption to suspend short sentences of 12 months or less, will help to address the unsustainable growth in the prison remand population.

This package of amendments includes changing the “no real prospect” test in the Bail Act 1976 so that fewer exceptions to bail will apply where the court considers that a sentence of immediate custody is unlikely. We are also adding to the factors that the courts must consider when deciding whether to refuse or grant bail to include consideration of whether the defendant is pregnant, a primary caregiver, or a victim of domestic abuse.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to early release schemes on the accuracy of release date calculations.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan setting out initial steps to address issues including release in error and unlawful detention.

This includes the establishment of an Urgent Warrant Query Unit supported by court experts so prisons can escalate queries to reduce the risk of release in error. We have also stood up a digital rapid response unit to reduce human error with cutting-edge technology. We will provide up to £10 million over the next 6 months to deliver AI and technology-based solutions to support frontline staff, helping to avoid mistakes and calculate sentence accurately.

We are also simplifying release policy; one of the aims of the Sentencing Bill is to standardise how cases are treated.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve the (a) accuracy and (b) oversight of prison release date calculations.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan setting out initial steps to address issues including release in error and unlawful detention.

This includes the establishment of an Urgent Warrant Query Unit supported by court experts so prisons can escalate queries to reduce the risk of release in error. We have also stood up a digital rapid response unit to reduce human error with cutting-edge technology. We will provide up to £10 million over the next 6 months to deliver AI and technology-based solutions to support frontline staff, helping to avoid mistakes and calculate sentence accurately.

We are also simplifying release policy; one of the aims of the Sentencing Bill is to standardise how cases are treated.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he has taken to prevent mistaken releases of prisoners; and whether he plans to (a) allocate additional resource for and (b) implement systemic reforms to prisoner-release protocols.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Releases in error are never acceptable, and we are bearing down on those errors that do occur.

Following the release in error of Hadush Kebatu from HMP Chelmsford, the Deputy Prime Minister took immediate steps to make the processes that take place when a prisoner is released more robust. This includes implementing a clear checklist for governors to determine that every step has been followed the evening before any release takes place.

On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action. This included additional resource allocated to the Urgent Warrant Query Unit set up to allow prisons to quickly escalate warrant-related queries and a multi-million pound investment in new technology to reduce human error. This is in addition to standing up a digital rapid response unit with up to 15 members of staff dedicated to exploring options to upgrade our digital systems.

We have committed to the simplification of release policy to reduce the scope for errors through the implementation of the Sentencing Bill. We have also appointed Dame Lynne Owens to examine what is causing releases in error, identify systemic factors, assess whether current discharge protocols are robust, and make recommendations to prevent similar mistakes in future.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the provisions of the Sentencing Bill which relate to the removal of foreign criminals from the United Kingdom are compatible with Article 2 of the Windsor Framework.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

We have carried out an assessment of the compatibility of the provisions in the Sentencing Bill which relate to the removal of foreign criminals from the UK with Article 2 of the Windsor Framework.

The Government is currently appealing the scope and operation of Article 2 of the Windsor Framework before the higher Courts.

However, it is the Government’s view that the provisions are compatible with Article 2.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what is the full scope of the five point action plan to tackle release inaccuracy announced by him on 11 November 2025.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Releases in error are never acceptable, and we are bearing down on those errors that do occur.

Releases in error have always existed, and are another long-term symptom of the prison system crisis this Government inherited. While the overwhelming majority of offenders are released correctly, we are taking decisive action to address this issue to reduce the risk of future mistakes.

On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan. This includes:

• a new Justice Performance Board which will give a comprehensive view of performance across the criminal justice system;
• the introduction of an urgent query process to allow prisons to quickly escalate warrant-related queries;
• a multi-million pound investment in new technology to reduce human error;
• the simplification of release policy to reduce the scope for errors through the implementation of the Sentencing Bill; and
• an independent system-wide review, led by Dame Lynne Owens, which will report its recommendations in spring next year.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the reoffending outcomes for adults released from short custodial sentences; and what steps he is taking to improve those outcomes.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

We publish proven reoffending statistics quarterly, including detailed data by sentence type, offence type, and offender characteristics. The next publication is due at the end of January 2026 (Proven reoffending statistics - GOV.UK).

We are tackling the root causes of reoffending by investing in a range of services which address offenders’ underlying criminogenic needs and support their rehabilitation journey. This includes education, employment, accommodation and access to substance misuse treatment.

For example, to support employment, we are delivering vocational courses, a future skills programme, and expanding the prisoner apprenticeship scheme. All 93 resettlement prisons have key roles in place to prepare prisoners for employment on release, and we have launched regional Employment Councils, which for the first time bring businesses together with prisons, probation, and the Department for Work and Pensions to support prison leavers.

Reoffending rates for adults sentenced to less than 12 months in custody remain high – in the latest data, just over 60% reoffended within a year. Ministry of Justice research shows that community orders and suspended sentences are up to 4 percentage points more effective at reducing reoffending than short custodial sentences. That is why we are introducing a presumption to suspend custodial sentences of 12 months or less via the Sentencing Bill, and expanding Intensive Supervision Courts (ISCs), which aim to reduce reoffending by diverting individuals from short custodial sentences into enhanced community-based orders.

We are not, however, abolishing short sentences. Judges will always have the power to send offenders to prison where they have breached a court order, where there is a significant risk of physical or psychological harm to a particular individual, or in exceptional circumstances.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to review the effectiveness of custodial sentences of under 12 months in reducing levels of reoffending.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

We publish proven reoffending statistics quarterly, including detailed data by sentence type, offence type, and offender characteristics. The next publication is due at the end of January 2026 (Proven reoffending statistics - GOV.UK).

We are tackling the root causes of reoffending by investing in a range of services which address offenders’ underlying criminogenic needs and support their rehabilitation journey. This includes education, employment, accommodation and access to substance misuse treatment.

For example, to support employment, we are delivering vocational courses, a future skills programme, and expanding the prisoner apprenticeship scheme. All 93 resettlement prisons have key roles in place to prepare prisoners for employment on release, and we have launched regional Employment Councils, which for the first time bring businesses together with prisons, probation, and the Department for Work and Pensions to support prison leavers.

Reoffending rates for adults sentenced to less than 12 months in custody remain high – in the latest data, just over 60% reoffended within a year. Ministry of Justice research shows that community orders and suspended sentences are up to 4 percentage points more effective at reducing reoffending than short custodial sentences. That is why we are introducing a presumption to suspend custodial sentences of 12 months or less via the Sentencing Bill, and expanding Intensive Supervision Courts (ISCs), which aim to reduce reoffending by diverting individuals from short custodial sentences into enhanced community-based orders.

We are not, however, abolishing short sentences. Judges will always have the power to send offenders to prison where they have breached a court order, where there is a significant risk of physical or psychological harm to a particular individual, or in exceptional circumstances.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to publish detailed data on reoffending outcomes by (a) sentence type, (b) offence type, and (c) offender characteristics.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

We publish proven reoffending statistics quarterly, including detailed data by sentence type, offence type, and offender characteristics. The next publication is due at the end of January 2026 (Proven reoffending statistics - GOV.UK).

We are tackling the root causes of reoffending by investing in a range of services which address offenders’ underlying criminogenic needs and support their rehabilitation journey. This includes education, employment, accommodation and access to substance misuse treatment.

For example, to support employment, we are delivering vocational courses, a future skills programme, and expanding the prisoner apprenticeship scheme. All 93 resettlement prisons have key roles in place to prepare prisoners for employment on release, and we have launched regional Employment Councils, which for the first time bring businesses together with prisons, probation, and the Department for Work and Pensions to support prison leavers.

Reoffending rates for adults sentenced to less than 12 months in custody remain high – in the latest data, just over 60% reoffended within a year. Ministry of Justice research shows that community orders and suspended sentences are up to 4 percentage points more effective at reducing reoffending than short custodial sentences. That is why we are introducing a presumption to suspend custodial sentences of 12 months or less via the Sentencing Bill, and expanding Intensive Supervision Courts (ISCs), which aim to reduce reoffending by diverting individuals from short custodial sentences into enhanced community-based orders.

We are not, however, abolishing short sentences. Judges will always have the power to send offenders to prison where they have breached a court order, where there is a significant risk of physical or psychological harm to a particular individual, or in exceptional circumstances.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to reduce the proportion of offenders who commit a further offence within the one-year follow-up period used in reoffending statistics.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

We publish proven reoffending statistics quarterly, including detailed data by sentence type, offence type, and offender characteristics. The next publication is due at the end of January 2026 (Proven reoffending statistics - GOV.UK).

We are tackling the root causes of reoffending by investing in a range of services which address offenders’ underlying criminogenic needs and support their rehabilitation journey. This includes education, employment, accommodation and access to substance misuse treatment.

For example, to support employment, we are delivering vocational courses, a future skills programme, and expanding the prisoner apprenticeship scheme. All 93 resettlement prisons have key roles in place to prepare prisoners for employment on release, and we have launched regional Employment Councils, which for the first time bring businesses together with prisons, probation, and the Department for Work and Pensions to support prison leavers.

Reoffending rates for adults sentenced to less than 12 months in custody remain high – in the latest data, just over 60% reoffended within a year. Ministry of Justice research shows that community orders and suspended sentences are up to 4 percentage points more effective at reducing reoffending than short custodial sentences. That is why we are introducing a presumption to suspend custodial sentences of 12 months or less via the Sentencing Bill, and expanding Intensive Supervision Courts (ISCs), which aim to reduce reoffending by diverting individuals from short custodial sentences into enhanced community-based orders.

We are not, however, abolishing short sentences. Judges will always have the power to send offenders to prison where they have breached a court order, where there is a significant risk of physical or psychological harm to a particular individual, or in exceptional circumstances.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compatibility of the Sentencing Bill with Article 2 of the Northern Ireland Protocol and the Windsor Framework.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

We have carried out an assessment of the compatibility of the Bill with Article 2 of the Northern Ireland Protocol and the Windsor Framework.

The Government is currently appealing the scope and operation of Article 2 of the Windsor Framework before the higher Courts.

It is the Government’s view that [the Bill] is compatible with the Protocol and the Framework.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government to what extent the provisions of the Sentencing Bill which relate to the removal of foreign criminals from the United Kingdom will apply to Northern Ireland.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The current deportation regime applies in Northern Ireland as it does in the rest of the UK. It is the government’s view that deportation powers are consistent across the UK and that clause 42 will apply UK wide.

We will do everything we can to remove foreign criminals and protect the public in Northern Ireland and all other parts of the UK.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to help increase public confidence in sentencing.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

In October 2024, we commissioned the Independent Sentencing Review, led by former Lord Chancellor Rt. Hon. David Gauke. The Review was tasked with re-evaluating the sentencing framework to ensure that there is always a place in prison for dangerous offenders and victims will always know that justice will be done. It also aimed to ensure that sentences are consistent and make sense to victims and the public.

The Sentencing Bill, currently being considered before Parliament, implements many of the Review’s recommendations. The Bill represents a once in a generation change to our criminal justice system, making significant changes to the sentencing framework, the way in which offenders are managed and serve sentences in the community. It also aims to create a justice system that better serves victims.

When sentencing, courts must follow any relevant sentencing guidelines, issued by the Sentencing Council, unless not in the interests of justice to do so. The guidelines provide a structured approach for sentencers to follow and are designed to help enhance consistency and transparency in sentencing decisions.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government which provisions of the Sentencing Bill will not apply to Northern Ireland, and why.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The issue of justice is one that is a transferred matter under the devolution settlement. Ministry of Justice officials have engaged officials in the Northern Ireland Executive in relation to a range of Bill measures and amendments that apply in Northern Ireland. A Legislative Consent Motion is not required with respect to Northern Ireland.

Provisions that will apply to Northern Ireland include sentences with fixed licence period, deportation of foreign criminals and the Service Justice System.

The Explanatory Notes for the Bill contain a comprehensive table which outlines the parts of the Bill which apply to Northern Ireland and which do not. This is available on the Bill Page on the Parliament website.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the Sentencing Code in England and Wales.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Sentencing Code came into force in December 2020 and was the product of a Law Commission project that involved extensive public consultation. Prior to its creation sentencing procedural law was significantly convoluted, spanning across multiple different pieces of legislation. The Code consolidated the law in this area, helping make it more accessible.

More broadly, the Government keeps the sentencing framework under regular review. In October 2024, we commissioned the Independent Sentencing Review, led by former Lord Chancellor Rt. Hon. David Gauke. The Sentencing Bill, currently being considered before Parliament, implements many of the Review’s recommendations.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will publish the modelling, estimates or projections for the numbers of offenders that will be immediately eligible for release post the introduction of the changes to the automatic release points as part of the Sentencing Bill 2025; and to include a breakdown of any such modelling, estimates or projections by offence and release numbers by individual days.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

As set out in the Sentencing Bill Impact Assessment, the Bill will ensure that the country has sufficient prison places by reducing demand by 7,500 places in 2028. The Bill will help ensure that the Criminal Justice System can continue to function with arrests and court trials continuing to go ahead, so avoiding a breakdown of law and order. The public will continue to be protected from the most serious offenders by ensuring prison places are available.

We are working across agencies to prepare and plan for implementation of the changes, and this Government is committed to ensuring that measures impacting sentencing and release are introduced safely, transparently and in a way that protects the public.

Release volumes for current prisoners will depend on whether they are subject to any ongoing criminal investigations or charges and therefore any additional sentences handed down by the Courts, and whether they are given added days for bad behaviour.

Around 17,000 prisoners are entirely excluded from the release point changes being brought forward in the Sentencing Bill.

The Ministry of Justice routinely publishes Accredited Official Statistics on prisoner releases as part of the Offender Management Statistics Quarterly (OMSQ) publication.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Northern Ireland Executive and the Justice Minister in Northern Ireland regarding proposed amendments to the Sentencing Code and the parts of the Sentencing Bill that relate to Northern Ireland; and whether a Legislative Consent Motion will be required for that Bill.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Ministry of Justice officials have engaged officials in the Northern Ireland Executive in relation to a range of Bill measures and amendments that apply in Northern Ireland, including on sentences with a fixed licence period.

A Legislative Consent Motion is not required with respect to Northern Ireland.

Found: Sentencing Bill 2024-26: Lords Amendments

Found: Sentencing Bill: Briefing papers

Found: A Sentencing Bill was introduced to Parliament in September 2025 to enact several of the recommendations

Found: Under the recent Sentencing Bill, many prisoners would be released on tag after serving a third of their

Found: estimated impact of the Sentencing Act 2026 is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/ sentencing-bill

Found: k) Introduce a new domestic abuse marker at court through the Sentencing Bill, meaning that for the

Found: This comes on top of the landmark reforms to cut crime through the Sentencing Bill as well as the government

Found: The DPM announced in the House that amendments tabled to the Sentencing Bill today (16 December) will

Found: Sentencing changes The Sentencing Bill was introduced to the House of commons on 2 September 2025.

Found: Sentencing changes The Sentencing Bill was introduced to the House of commons on 2 September 2025.

Found: is both operationally viable and complementary to other ongoing or planned work, such as the Sentencing Bill

Found: is both operationally viable and complementary to other ongoing or planned work, such as the Sentencing Bill

Found: estimated impact of the Sentencing Act 2026 is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/ sentencing-bill

Found: estimated impact of the Sentencing Act 2026 is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/ sentencing-bill

Found: MoJ ref: SUB131106 21 January 2026 GAMBLING HARMS IN THE CJS As the passage of the Sentencing Bill

Found: for Income Reduction Orders (IROs), as discussed during the Committee stage (first day) of the Sentencing Bill

Found: 2025 Consent recommended Public Office (Accountability) Bill 31/10/2025 Consent not recommended Sentencing Bill