Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she plans to release more criminals from prison early due to prison overcrowding.

This Government inherited a prison system on the point of collapse and we were forced to take the necessary action to stop the criminal justice system from total gridlock.

Whilst the SDS change provided the intended medium-term relief to the system, this was never expected to be a long-term solution. To ensure we are never in a position where we run out of prison places again, the Lord Chancellor announced the Independent Review into Sentencing, alongside a series of prison capacity measures. This included reforming our recall practices to target the unsustainable growth in the recall population since the pandemic and an extension of the maximum period offenders can spend on Home Detention Curfew from 6 to 12 months.

The Independent Sentencing Review published its Part 1 report on 18 February. The Review’s final report is expected to be published in the spring of this year and will set out the immediate and longer-term recommendations for reform.

The 10-year Prison Capacity Strategy published on 11 December set out our plans to deliver more prisons places. By 2031, we aim to have delivered a further 14,000 prison places, with all places expected to be operational by 2032. To help achieve this, we are investing £2.3 billion in prison building across the estate this year and next year, which will provide modern accommodation that helps to improve safety, security, and decency in prison and to reduce reoffending.

We are also investing approximately £500 million over two years in prison and probation service maintenance to improve conditions across the estate. Beyond existing plans, work is underway to identify land that would be suitable for potential new prisons, should these be required in the future. This Government will also implement a new Crown Development Route later this Spring to allow faster planning decisions on new prisons.