Imprisonment for Public Protection Prisoners

Lord Carlile of Berriew Excerpts

Monday 6th July 2026 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Carlile of Berriew]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what resources are being allocated to HM Prison and Probation Service and the Parole Board to expedite the progression of Imprisonment for Public Protection prisoners towards release.

[The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Timpson) (Lab)]

The IPP sentence is a stain on our justice system. I believe the best way to support IPP prisoners towards a safe and sustainable release is via the IPP action plan, well-run and well-resourced prisons, and a Probation Service that is thriving. The good news is that, according to the inspectorate, 75% of our prisons are achieving higher scores than in previous inspections, and 90% of our probation regions are too. That is the best way to expedite release.

[Lord Carlile of Berriew (CB)]

I thank the Minister for his Answer. Does he agree that the fact that there are nearly 900 unreleased IPP prisoners still in custody, of whom 99% are over-tariff, is wholly unacceptable? How much will that shameful statistic be reduced in the next 12 months? What steps will be taken to reform the way the Parole Board and the currently laggard and dilatory post-release processes operate in these cases?

[Lord Timpson (Lab)]

From March 2025 to March 2026, there was an 11% reduction in the number of never-released IPP prisoners, but I want to get more men and women out for the first time and post recall. We need to do more, and we are doing more. We are rolling out IPP advocates to 12 prisons where there is a large concentration of IPP prisoners so that they can wrap their arm around these people and help them get ready for parole. We are establishing the Phoenix wing in HMP Aylesbury in August, which will be a specialist wing for those furthest from release, and the Parole Board review time has already reduced from an average of 18 months for IPP prisoners to 14.5 months—I aim to get it to 12 months soon. I also believe in employment and second chances. Having employed many IPP prisoners in the past, this to me is the most positive route we can take, so that when they get out, they stay out.