Imprisonment for Public Protection

Lord Moylan Excerpts

Thursday 2nd July 2026 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord Moylan]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what plans the Secretary of State for Justice has to meet families of prisoners serving an Imprisonment for Public Protection or Detention for Public Protection sentence.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Baroness Levitt) (Lab)]

My Lords, the Deputy Prime Minister recognises the impact that IPP and DPP sentences have on the families of those serving those sentences. My noble friend Lord Timpson meets regularly with families as part of his ministerial responsibilities for these issues, and he values the insight that those discussions provide. The engagement he has ensures that the voices and experiences of families are heard. The Government remain committed to ongoing dialogue, recognising how this informs the action that we take to support progression and rehabilitation.

[Lord Moylan (Con)]

My Lords, there are nearly 1,000 IPP prisoners who have never been released, all of them now way beyond their tariff, and there are another 1,500 or so in the community subject to frequent and capricious recall. What can I say to the mother of the prisoner, whose name I supplied to the Minister in advance, who has been recalled again recently, despite being in employment and having a supportive employer? If the Deputy Prime Minister perhaps feels unwilling to meet the families of the prisoners, will he be willing at least to meet a delegation of noble Lords to come and talk to him about this continuing scandal?

[Baroness Levitt (Lab)]

My Lords, given his ministerial responsibilities, it is entirely appropriate that my noble friend Lord Timpson leads the engagement in this area. As the noble Lord knows, he holds quarterly IPP round tables with Members of your Lordships’ House to discuss progress and to hear directly from noble Lords about their concerns. Indeed, the next one is due to take place in a couple of weeks’ time, at which the Chief Inspector of Probation will answer noble Lords’ questions. The Justice Secretary also has met parliamentarians and campaign groups, and he remains fully sighted on this important issue. As regards the person whose name the noble Lord helpfully provided me with in advance, I am very much aware that my noble friend Lord Timpson and the noble Lord, Lord Moylan, are corresponding about this separately, and I do not think it is appropriate that I say something about the personal circumstances today.