Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 25 February 2020 to Question 1219, on Prisoner Escapes, if he will make it is his policy to release the names of absconders to (a) inform and (b) seek information from the public on those absconders' whereabouts.

When a prisoner absconds, police are immediately notified and are responsible for locating the offender. The majority of absconders are quickly recaptured and returned to custody where they face serious consequences. These include serving up to two additional years on conviction. Prisoners subject to parole decisions, will likely face even longer delays to their release.

We collaborate with the police in order to recapture those who abscond and prosecute in line with the Crime in Prison Referral Agreement. As part of that process the police decide whether releasing names is necessary to aid the investigation. We publish statistics annually on the number of prisoners who have absconded and those still at large as to inform the public.