Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how local authorities are (a) notified and (b) supported by his Department when foreign national offenders are released from custody early on licence (with conditions) with no fixed abode.

The Home Detention Curfew (HDC) scheme allows for the early release of offenders serving sentences of at least 12 weeks but no more than four years. Eligible prisoners can be released up to 135 days before their automatic release date but HDC is only permitted where the offender can provide a suitable, probation approved address to which they can be curfewed. Foreign National Offenders who have received a decision to deport are statutorily excluded from HDC, and those being considered for removal but whose decision is yet to be made are presumed unsuitable.

The End of Custody Temporary Release (ECTR) scheme allows for the release of low risk offenders who are within two months of their automatic release date. Foreign national offenders who are being removed from the UK and who have exhausted in-country rights of appeal against removal are statutorily excluded from ECTR.

No prisoner is released through the ECTR scheme is granted this unless suitable accommodation is identified first.