Prisoner Early Release Scheme

Baroness Hamwee Excerpts

Thursday 23rd July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Katz (Lab)]

I say to the noble and learned Lord that this is about ensuring that we have confidence in the whole of our criminal justice system, including the courts and the prison estate, but also the probation system. I have no doubt that, when the Prime Minister and the Lord Chancellor are looking at these reforms, these factors will be taken into account. The noble and learned Lord will know, as he is well versed in these matters and paid a lot of attention to the Sentencing Bill when it was going through your Lordships’ House, that there is a complex progression scheme to ensure that we are able to create the capacity that we need in our prison system. Without wanting to rise to any demotic, there are not a lot of easy options and there are more sophisticated responses to the problem that the simplistic one he posed.

[Baroness Hamwee (LD)]

My Lords, the early release scheme came from earned progression, the concept behind David Gauke’s proposals. Progression, of course, includes rehabilitation. The Minister has already mentioned the Probation Service. The noble Lord, Lord Timpson, was clear that there had to be time taken to expand the Probation Service, as you could not just appoint a whole lot of people off the streets and increase the numbers. Can the Minister reassure the House that the Probation Service will be well equipped to deal with the numbers being released from prison?

[Lord Katz (Lab)]

The noble Baroness is correct, and I know that is why my noble friend Lord Timpson spent so much time focusing on probation, as well as the prison estate. That is why we are investing a record amount of £700 million in probation and associated activities. For instance, we are having the biggest expansion of tagging in history. We are already tagging at record levels and will be investing £100 million to expand our ability to monitor even more individuals in the community. That is not just a straight location tag; it could be a GPS tag that addresses an exclusion measure, or one that addresses drug or alcohol addiction. We are clear that offenders are going to be subject to strict conditions after their release. Indeed, the Probation Service will be given tough new powers, including restriction zones, to be used for the most serious offenders. We are trying to move at pace, but in a way that makes sure we do not create more problems for ourselves. That is why we are committed to this record investment in probation.