Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what methodology was used to determine a 18 month review period for the new Early Release Scheme.

The Government inherited a criminal justice system in crisis. Due to ongoing pressures on prison capacity, the Government adjusted the release point for prisoners serving eligible standard determinate sentences (SDS), allowing release after 40% of their sentence rather than 50%, and have committed to review this change after 18 months. This measure was necessary to stop the collapse of the justice system and quickly free up prison places, as well as ensuring courts can continue to send offenders into custody. 18 months allows time for officials to monitor the impact of the measure on prison capacity and act accordingly based on the impact.