Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of people imprisoned for terror-related offences in each year since 2010 held a previous terror-related conviction and have been re-admitted to prison for subsequent terror-related convictions.

Between January 2013 and December 2020, 7 individuals convicted of a terrorist offence (who have been convicted under the Terrorism Act 2000 and 2006) have been released from prison and then convicted of a further terrorist offence (under the Terrorism Act 2000 and 2006) in England and Wales. Unfortunately, we will be unable to break down this figure further as it may reveal sensitive personal data.

Prior to 2013, release data on Terrorism Act offenders was held at a local and regional level by relevant law enforcement partners, but not recorded centrally by the Ministry of Justice, meaning we are unable to provide data before 2013. Recidivism rates for Scotland and Northern Ireland are not held by the Ministry of Justice as prisons are a devolved matter.

From the year ending June 2014 to year ending June 2020 the number of terrorist prisoners released from prison custody was 387 in Great Britain. This number includes historical terrorism cases which pre-date the introduction of the Terrorist Acts (2000 & 2006) and where an individual was imprisoned pre-2001 following a terrorist investigation, acts of terrorism, or for membership of a proscribed organisation.

We use a range of rehabilitation approaches to manage terrorists before and after they are released from custody and use a robust multi-agency approach to monitor extremists released into the community. Our new legislation means terrorists now face tougher sentences, will stay in prison for longer and be subject to appropriately strict licence conditions on release.