Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many of the prisoners mistakenly released since April 2025 were convicted of violent, sexual or other serious offences; and what assessment he has made of the danger to the public posed by those still at large.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. The safety of the public is our absolute priority.
While the overwhelming majority of offenders are released correctly, any release in error is treated with utmost seriousness and we are clamping down on those that do occur. On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan setting out initial steps to address this issue. As soon as an error is identified, we immediately assess the individual’s risk and work closely with the police to ensure swift action. A joint protocol between HMPPS and NPCC is in place, to ensure effective and timely communication between partner agencies when an individual is released in error to rearrest them as quickly as possible.
Totals for releases in error are published each July in the HMPPS Annual Digest, with the latest available via HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2024 to March 2025 - GOV.UK, which provides data up to March 2025. These include information on the principal offence group of those released.
A further transparency ad hoc publication, available via Releases_in_Error_from_1_April_2025_to_31_October_2025.pdf, also covers the number of releases in error from 1 April 2025 to 31 October 2025. Further breakdowns of this data cannot be provided at this time because they would give an early indication of future Official Statistics.
Offender Management Units play a vital role in our prisons, including processing prisoner releases. Prisons are encouraged to fill vacancies promptly, with the Department providing support on best practice in recruitment. We are also rolling out technology-based upgrades to assist frontline staff, helping to reduce human error.
The Government is determined to fix the issue of mistaken releases and ensure the public is properly protected.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of staff shortages in offender management units on errors in calculating prisoners release dates.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. The safety of the public is our absolute priority.
While the overwhelming majority of offenders are released correctly, any release in error is treated with utmost seriousness and we are clamping down on those that do occur. On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan setting out initial steps to address this issue. As soon as an error is identified, we immediately assess the individual’s risk and work closely with the police to ensure swift action. A joint protocol between HMPPS and NPCC is in place, to ensure effective and timely communication between partner agencies when an individual is released in error to rearrest them as quickly as possible.
Totals for releases in error are published each July in the HMPPS Annual Digest, with the latest available via HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2024 to March 2025 - GOV.UK, which provides data up to March 2025. These include information on the principal offence group of those released.
A further transparency ad hoc publication, available via Releases_in_Error_from_1_April_2025_to_31_October_2025.pdf, also covers the number of releases in error from 1 April 2025 to 31 October 2025. Further breakdowns of this data cannot be provided at this time because they would give an early indication of future Official Statistics.
Offender Management Units play a vital role in our prisons, including processing prisoner releases. Prisons are encouraged to fill vacancies promptly, with the Department providing support on best practice in recruitment. We are also rolling out technology-based upgrades to assist frontline staff, helping to reduce human error.
The Government is determined to fix the issue of mistaken releases and ensure the public is properly protected.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the impact of the scale of erroneous prisoner releases on public confidence and public safety.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. The safety of the public is our absolute priority.
While the overwhelming majority of offenders are released correctly, any release in error is treated with utmost seriousness and we are clamping down on those that do occur. On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan setting out initial steps to address this issue. As soon as an error is identified, we immediately assess the individual’s risk and work closely with the police to ensure swift action. A joint protocol between HMPPS and NPCC is in place, to ensure effective and timely communication between partner agencies when an individual is released in error to rearrest them as quickly as possible.
Totals for releases in error are published each July in the HMPPS Annual Digest, with the latest available via HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2024 to March 2025 - GOV.UK, which provides data up to March 2025. These include information on the principal offence group of those released.
A further transparency ad hoc publication, available via Releases_in_Error_from_1_April_2025_to_31_October_2025.pdf, also covers the number of releases in error from 1 April 2025 to 31 October 2025. Further breakdowns of this data cannot be provided at this time because they would give an early indication of future Official Statistics.
Offender Management Units play a vital role in our prisons, including processing prisoner releases. Prisons are encouraged to fill vacancies promptly, with the Department providing support on best practice in recruitment. We are also rolling out technology-based upgrades to assist frontline staff, helping to reduce human error.
The Government is determined to fix the issue of mistaken releases and ensure the public is properly protected.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the number of prisoners kept in custody beyond their lawful release dates over the past ten years.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
Release inaccuracy is yet another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. While the overwhelming majority of offenders are released correctly, we are clamping down on those errors that do occur, and this includes unlawful detentions.
On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan setting out initial steps which includes an independent inquiry which will report its recommendations to prevent further inaccuracies. The Government is determined to fix release inaccuracies and ensure the public is properly protected.
The data requested comes from internal management information and is not centrally collected. It is not quality assured and does not meet the standard required for publication.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the findings of HM Chief Inspector of Prisons regarding release date errors at HMP Pentonville.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government.
The Government is determined to fix the issue of mistaken releases and ensure the public is properly protected and on 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan setting out initial steps to address the issue.
Work is already underway to address the areas identified for improvement by the Inspectorate. This includes establishing a specialist headquarters team to provide guidance to prisons to mitigate the risk of early or late releases, which is actively supporting HMP Pentonville as part of the Urgent Notification response.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he has taken to prevent mistaken releases of prisoners; and whether he plans to (a) allocate additional resource for and (b) implement systemic reforms to prisoner-release protocols.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
Releases in error are never acceptable, and we are bearing down on those errors that do occur.
Following the release in error of Hadush Kebatu from HMP Chelmsford, the Deputy Prime Minister took immediate steps to make the processes that take place when a prisoner is released more robust. This includes implementing a clear checklist for governors to determine that every step has been followed the evening before any release takes place.
On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action. This included additional resource allocated to the Urgent Warrant Query Unit set up to allow prisons to quickly escalate warrant-related queries and a multi-million pound investment in new technology to reduce human error. This is in addition to standing up a digital rapid response unit with up to 15 members of staff dedicated to exploring options to upgrade our digital systems.
We have committed to the simplification of release policy to reduce the scope for errors through the implementation of the Sentencing Bill. We have also appointed Dame Lynne Owens to examine what is causing releases in error, identify systemic factors, assess whether current discharge protocols are robust, and make recommendations to prevent similar mistakes in future.
Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department has (a) renewed and (b) upgraded digital services and software licensing contracts with Microsoft in the last 12 months.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The Ministry of Justice has not renewed or upgraded digital services and software licensing contracts with Microsoft in the preceding 12 months from 16 December 2025.
Asked by: Sarah Pochin (Reform UK - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the number of prisoners who were held beyond their lawful release dates but did not submit claims for compensation.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
Release inaccuracy is yet another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. While the overwhelming majority of offenders are released correctly, we are clamping down on those errors that do occur, and this includes unlawful detentions.
On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan setting out initial steps which includes an independent inquiry which will report its recommendations to prevent further inaccuracies. The Government is determined to fix release inaccuracies and ensure the public is properly protected.
The data requested comes from internal management information and is not centrally collected. It is not quality assured and does not meet the standard required for publication.
Asked by: Paul Waugh (Labour (Co-op) - Rochdale)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to support rape survivors in the criminal justice system.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice will be investing £550 million in victim support services over the next three years – the biggest investment in these services to date.
We are introducing a package of legislative measures to improve victims’ experiences and stop practitioners and juries relying on so-called myths and misconceptions in court.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of bringing forward proposals for a national safeguarding framework for historic burial grounds linked to former (a) psychiatric and (b) Poor Law institutions.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Government recognises the sensitivities surrounding burial grounds linked to former psychiatric institutions, including Horton Cemetery, and is committed to upholding the dignity of these sites and the memory of those interred within them.
The Law Commission is currently reviewing burial legislation, including the legal framework for the management of burial grounds, as part of its Burial, Cremation and New Funerary Methods project (Burial, cremation, and new funerary methods – Law Commission).
The project includes an assessment of the existing legal safeguards for burial and disinterment, the options for improved regulation and oversight of burial sites taking into account their nature and context, and potential reforms to ensure appropriate protection for private burial grounds.
The Government welcomes the Law Commission’s consideration of these issues and will respond in due course to its report, which is expected to be published in early 2026.