Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of work to reintegrate prisoners released via the early release scheme.

The government inherited a prisons system in crisis and was forced to change the release point for standard determinate sentences in order to avert disaster and total gridlock of the criminal justice system.

Once released, offenders are subject to the same set of strict licence conditions that would apply had they been released at a 50% automatic release point, and are liable to recall to prison if they do not comply with these conditions or are judged by probation practitioners to be a risk to public safety.

There is robust and varied support available informed by an assessment of individual needs, to ensure effective resettlement into the community. This includes Prison Employment Leads, Employment Hubs, ID and Banking Administrators and Employment Advisory Boards in every resettlement prison.