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Criminal Justice Reform
01 September 2026
Lead MP
Alex Norris
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
ImmigrationJustice & Courts
Other Contributors: 39
At a Glance
Alex Norris raised concerns about criminal justice reform in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
The Labour Government has committed to stabilising prisons by building new facilities and adding 14,000 prison places by 2031, with 3,200 already delivered. The Sentencing Act introduced an earned progression model, ensuring offenders serve at least a third of their sentences, with longer durations for bad behaviour. Additionally, the Government has expanded tagging and community measures for released offenders, invested £700 million in probation and community services, and hired more probation officers. The Act excludes serious crimes from early release, protecting public safety and honouring victims. The Government is also freeing up space by accelerating deportation of foreign national offenders and investing £110 million to convert prison space and build new sites. Furthermore, the Government aims to end indeterminate imprisonment for public protection sentences, offering support for those affected. Investments are also being made for women and youth offenders to address complex needs and reduce recidivism. The minister emphasises the need to balance prison sustainability with public protection and victim rights.
Nick Timothy
Con
Question
The shadow questions the timeline and target for deportation of foreign national prisoners, the Government's plan to convert prison space, and the criteria for releasing IPP prisoners. He also asks if the changes to early release will come through secondary legislation, presenting MPs with a false binary choice and no chance to amend their plan.
Minister reply
The minister responds to the shadow's concerns by stating that the Government is committed to freeing up space in prisons through the deportation of foreign national offenders and the conversion of prison space. He affirms the intention to release IPP prisoners but emphasises the importance of public safety, noting that criteria for release will be stringent and that the changes will be implemented through secondary legislation to ensure clarity and accountability.
Nick Timothy
Lab
Question
The MP welcomed the Justice Secretary but criticised the fifth early release policy, arguing that it would put the public at risk. He questioned the timeline and sustainability of the policy, the number of foreign national prisoners to be removed, and the impact on prison capacity. He also highlighted the decrease in prison cells and prison officers since the election.
Minister reply
The Justice Secretary acknowledged the uncertainty created by these changes but emphasised the noble purpose of protecting victims. He mentioned that the changes are based on the Sentencing Act, providing a basis for standard determinate sentences. He also highlighted the increase in the removal of foreign offenders and the importance of work on changes to articles 3 and 8. He committed to increasing prison capacity and promised to publish annual reports on prison capacity.
Diane Abbott
Lab
Hackney North and Stoke Newington
Question
The MP supported the government's policy but reminded the House that the early release programme was devised by a Conservative Government. She emphasised the importance of supporting prison officers and improving the prison estate to reduce reoffending.
Minister reply
The Justice Secretary agreed with the importance of supporting prison officers and probation officers. He emphasised that the policy presented is a measure to get through a crisis and that building a new criminal justice system requires work with prison officers, the Probation Service, the police, and communities to reduce reoffending.
Jessica Brown-Fuller
Lib Dem
Question
The Justice Secretary knows that the chaos and uncertainty for victims and their loved ones over the summer months from the handling of this scheme have been unforgivable. The Government have changed course countless times, leaving PC Andrew Harper’s family and countless others without the certainty that they deserve.
Minister reply
The minister acknowledged the impact of the changes but emphasised the noble aims of the changes and the commitment to ensuring a resilient prison estate. He committed to improving communication with victims through trauma-informed engagement and the introduction of victim liaison officers to tailor the support provided to each individual.
Olivia Bailey
Lab
Question
When PC Andrew Harper was killed in my constituency, it devastated our community, but it also left a deep determination to stand by our brave police, who run towards danger every day.
Minister reply
The minister paid tribute to PC Andrew Harper and acknowledged the changes made to the law to reflect the special treatment for emergency service workers killed in the line of duty. He committed to having the police in the room during the process to improve the criminal justice system.
Julian Lewis
Con
New Forest East
Question
I know the Government will be doing their best to protect potential future victims of early release offenders, including those responsible for the appalling killing of PC Harper, but it is not good enough simply to try to improve tagging measures; what one has to do is to improve the ability of potential victims to summon help if attacked again.
Minister reply
The minister confirmed that the conversations that victim liaison officers are having include the provision of emergency alarms to protect potential future victims.
Matt Bishop
Con
Question
I welcome the Government’s decision to end early release for certain serious offenders, including those responsible for the appalling killing of PC Harper. My former police colleagues and other emergency workers put themselves in harm’s way every day to keep us safe, and they must be able to have confidence in our system.
Minister reply
The minister acknowledged the message sent by the changes in the law and the changes made, and committed to working with the police to improve the criminal justice system.
Esther McVey
Con
Tatton
Question
Cheshire police estimates that the additional cost to man-mark criminals who are back on the streets due to Labour’s early release scheme will be £1.4 million a year. Can the Minister reassure police forces up and down the country that those extra resources will be handed to them?
Minister reply
The minister acknowledged the significant increase in funding to the police and the ongoing conversations with the National Police Chiefs’ Council about resourcing and support for policing.
Yasmin Qureshi
Lab
Bolton South East
Question
I welcome the Lord Chancellor’s statement. As a former criminal law barrister, I represented defendants who were given IPP sentences. They were required to complete courses, treatments and rehabilitation before they could be considered for release, yet many were never offered any of those things in time.
Minister reply
The minister committed to ensuring that the right support is in place for those who are paroled to stay out of prison and for those who have not yet passed that stage to get to it and pass it, with public safety in mind.
Vikki Slade
Lab
Question
When the Justice Committee visited a young offenders institute earlier this year, we found that most of the young people were not able to access even a minimal amount of education or training, which means that they are more likely to go on to commit more offences.
Minister reply
The minister acknowledged the importance of access to education and training for young offenders and adult counterparts, emphasising the need to prepare people properly for release.
Weston-super-Mare
Question
Asked about the use of restriction zones to confine offenders to specific areas and to be more ambitious in their use.
Minister reply
Acknowledged the importance of restriction zones and committed to maximum engagement with campaigners to ensure their effectiveness. The zones are world leading and will be introduced for the first time.
Alicia Kearns
Con
Devizes
Question
Asked about the case of Mark Sanders, a teacher who was given a lenient sentence and moved to an open prison after serving only a quarter of his sentence.
Minister reply
Undertook to review the specific case and get back to the MP as soon as possible.
Steve Yemm
Lab
Hemsworth
Question
Asked about the custodial release point for Liam Bowes, who was sentenced for causing death by dangerous driving.
Minister reply
Confirmed that death by dangerous driving is excluded from the progression model, ensuring the release point remains at two thirds of the sentence. Will get full clarity on the release date.
Martin Vickers
Con
Cleethorpes
Question
Asked about the case of a constituent's daughter who received a letter from Victim Support regarding the release of an individual convicted of a violent crime.
Minister reply
Undertook to look at the case urgently and ensure that the individual is not released. Encouraged the victim-survivor to engage with their victim liaison officer.
Warinder Juss
Lab
Slough
Question
Asked about the relationship between reducing reoffending and increasing prison capacity.
Minister reply
Acknowledged that the current system is a self-defeating cycle. Highlighted the importance of addressing housing to provide a stable base for rebuilding lives.
Conwy
Question
Expressed gratitude for the Lord Chancellor's communication with a constituent's family and questioned the timing and nature of communications during the summer.
Minister reply
Acknowledged the criticism and committed to ensuring that future correspondence is trauma informed.
Mary Creagh
Lab
Wakefield
Question
Asked about the use of prison capacity and the commitment to maintain workshops and training areas in prisons.
Minister reply
Commited to maintaining those areas as they help prepare prisoners for release and reduce reoffending.
Dudley North
Question
Asked about the Government's position on the Parole Board's assessment of IPP prisoners as high risk.
Minister reply
Recognised the challenges and the need for support for long-term prisoners, and committed to working with the Probation Service to address these issues.
Deirdre Costigan
Lab
Ealing Central and Acton
Question
Asked about the steps taken by the Government to ensure room in prisons for serious offenders.
Minister reply
Agreed that there must always be places for serious offenders in prison to prevent trials from collapsing or offenders being rebailed.
Siân Berry
Green
Camden
Question
Asked about the 15,000 prisoners on remand, including women and young people, and the recommendations from the Women's Justice Board.
Minister reply
Acknowledged the importance of the remand population in public protection and highlighted the impact of court delays. Mentioned important legislation making its way through the House.
Question
Echoed the remarks of other MPs regarding the message sent to police officers regarding the release of killers and the need for the Government to support the police through actions, not just words.
Minister reply
Acknowledged Jonathan Hinder's service and commitment, promising to judge the Government by its actions in collaboration with the policing community.
Question
Asked the Lord Chancellor to commit to releasing data on reoffenders under the early release scheme and future cohorts.
Minister reply
Promised to look into the suggestion to release such data to inform the public about the effectiveness of the early release policies.
Question
Thanked the Secretary of State for excluding certain types of offenders from early release and asked for reassurance that victims would not be harmed as a result of these releases.
Minister reply
Acknowledged the sector's concerns and committed to bringing more support forward, including through the victims hotline and community-level support.
Question
Highlighted the success of the LandWorks rehabilitation project in South Devon and asked the new Minister for Prisons to visit.
Minister reply
The Minister expressed enthusiasm to visit and see the LandWorks project.
Question
Asked about the timeline for the prison system reaching full capacity and how it compares to previous assessments.
Minister reply
Noted that the Sentencing Act improves on the previous saturation date and committed to publishing a capacity report later in the year.
Question
Asked for guarantees regarding the real-time warning system for GPS tags and the effectiveness of restriction zones.
Minister reply
Acknowledged the importance of tagging and improvements being made to the technology, including in prisons as part of the process.
Question
Raised the case of Terry Rowley, who has been in prison for over 18 years beyond his initial sentence, and asked for a fair and transparent route to release.
Minister reply
Agreed with the sentiment and committed to working with colleagues to bring the IPP sentence to a close.
Question
Asked about specific actions to fix vetting delays and staff attrition in the Probation Service and committed date for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to exit prioritisation.
Minister reply
Acknowledged the importance of vetting delays and is working with the Cabinet Office to improve the process and committed to revert directly to the MP regarding the specific point.
Question
Asked to look at the recall process to ensure it is fair and equitable and that support is provided to those who err on their conditions.
Minister reply
Committed to review the non-compliance aspect of the recall process to ensure it is effective and fair.
Question
Asked for measures to prevent care-experienced people from entering prison and ensuring necessary support if they are in prison.
Minister reply
Agreed to take a leading role across government to address this issue and was recently having conversations with the Secretary of State for Education on the matter.
Salford and Eccles
Question
Happy birthday, Madam Deputy Speaker—a fellow Virgo. I very much welcome the clarity in the Lord Chancellor’s statement, but on the issue of additional prison capacity, the Prison Officers’ Association has already raised extreme concerns about understaffing, under-resourcing, risk of extreme violence and overcrowding. What reassurances can he give today that additional resources will be provided to operate the extra spaces safely?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend makes an excellent point. I look forward to having these conversations with the leadership of the POA and its members, who do such a great job. I am very aware of the attrition rates and retention challenges among people working in our prison system because the estate runs hot. What we are doing is exactly in the service of making it a better place to work, so that they are not having to administer a system that is tense and running at its margins all the time. Deflating it in the ways that I have talked about will help us to build a more stable regime and a better place to work.
Question
We know that these decisions are not easy and that they reflect the state that the system was left in, but I have concerns, as do charities, about domestic abuse survivors, because perpetrators are going to be let out as early as next month. It is clear that we need to do more to support these victims, so can the Minister please tell me what services will be put in place to ensure that there is adequate support for victims of domestic abuse whose perpetrators are being released?
Minister reply
I am grateful for the question. As I have said to other colleagues, I think that this is an important thing to demonstrate. My hon. Friend will have heard what I said about bringing the helpline forward and about support for local organisations to help support survivors through difficult periods, but the critical thing is high-quality engagement with victim liaison officers so that those individuals have certainty about what is happening and can help design controls around their perpetrator.
Question
Probation officers and their trade unions have expressed concern about the proposed removal of the workforce measurement tool used to ensure that staff caseloads are at safe levels, and no date has been set for a replacement. What assessment has the Secretary of State made of the capacity of the Probation Service to manage rising caseloads safely, and will a new platform be delivered before the current one is decommissioned?
Minister reply
I am grateful for the chance to address that. That system is coming to an end because it is 15 years old. It is right that we address that. I want there to be much better tech enablement across the Probation Service. I met staff and heard about the importance of AI transcription, which is able to reduce their paperwork load. We of course want to have effective workload management tools in place. That is what myself and my hon. Friend the Prisons Minister are working closely on as we move to the new model.
Hayes and Harlington
Question
I thank my right hon. Friend for grasping the nettle of IPP prisoners. I remind the House that it was Bob Neill, the Conservative Chair of the Justice Committee, who built consensus on that Committee and brought forward a report to urge the Government to act and set up a number of proposals. I see that Bob’s name is not on the list of advisers that the Secretary of State has mentioned. It would be useful having him on board, I believe.
Minister reply
That is an excellent suggestion by my right hon. Friend; I will be in touch with Bob. We do not intend for this to be a long, drawn-out process. We want to build from the best evidence that is available from those who have been active in this space. I certainly will make sure that I contact Bob to see how he can help us in this process. I remember him very fondly from his time in this place.
Liz Twist
Lab
Blaydon
Question
The Secretary of State will be aware of my constituents Gemma Chappell and Rachel Walls, the great-aunts of baby Maya, who died at the hands of her mother’s partner. I thank the Secretary of State and the Prime Minister for reviewing the early release scheme so that Maya’s mother, who was scheduled for early release this month, will not now be included in this scheme. I commend him for the proposals that he has explained to increase accommodation. Can he say how victims will be supported in the future?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend raised directly with me and colleagues that appalling case, which when it came to public attention rightly sickened everybody who saw it. I am pleased that we have been able to make the changes that we have, but I again recognise the impact of the uncertainty across the summer. On the point about victim support, it is about high-quality engagement through victim liaison officers as well as access to local support services. We are augmenting our funding for that and the victims helpline.
Question
I thank the Lord Chancellor for the focus on victims in his statement. Some of the most harrowing conversations I have had as an MP have been with victims and survivors. The failures in the tagging system have had a great impact on them, retraumatising them again and again. Can he explain to my constituents what the impact of the new restriction zones will have on them and their experience of the criminal justice system going forward?
Minister reply
It is a really significant change. What I am about to say is not just about restriction zones, but it is really important that I say it. Traditionally, victims and survivors have lived their lives around the licence conditions of their perpetrator. We need to flip that, and restriction zones give us that chance. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is here on the Front Bench, which is very helpful, because she built this system out. That is the change that we want to see to ensure that victims are living full lives.
Question
The Lord Chancellor has inherited an absolute mess in the prison system, and I feel heart sorry for him trying to balance the needs of victims with the need for justice and the need to manage the prison estate in a meaningful way. Exclusion zones could be absolutely transformative in enabling victims to live their lives going forward, but it is contingent on the tagging service being effective. At the moment, people and particularly victims would assume that if someone breaches their tag restriction zone, at the very least their probation officer would be automatically informed, but the IT does not function in that way. When will that be in place?
Minister reply
The technology is rapidly improving, as is compliance. There are other points of failure, such as people not getting tags. That is why that presumption helps, as does tagging in prison. I was with staff on Friday and I was tagged, as colleagues may have seen. I have to say it worked very effectively in that case. We are absolutely resolute that it must work. That is why we are putting this effort and investment in.
Question
I welcome the Lord Chancellor’s statement and the changes he is making. I know that victims have been at the forefront of his and the Prime Minister’s minds. Families such as those of Chloe Holland and Skye Nicholls have seen the devastating consequences of domestic abuse. How will these and future changes better protect victims and ensure that the psychological harm caused by domestic abuse, particularly coercive control, is properly recognised?
Minister reply
I really recognise the importance of that question, and indeed the anxiety caused for survivors of domestic abuse as a result of the changes. We need clearer, earlier flagging. That is something that has been lacking, and we are resolute in addressing that. As I say, it is important that extra support is brought forward sooner and more investment is put into it. We also need really good engagement with victim liaison officers so that the victim or survivor knows exactly what will happen with their perpetrator and can shape the controls on them.
Shadow Comment
Nick Timothy
Shadow Comment
The shadow criticises the Government's fifth early release policy in six weeks, arguing it is a rushed solution rather than a principled decision. The shadow points out that releasing IPP prisoners, despite risks highlighted by previous Justice Ministers, could endanger the public. He questions the lack of a timeline and target for deportation of foreign national prisoners, as well as plans to convert prison space. The shadow also queries the criteria for releasing IPP prisoners and the method of implementing the policy through secondary legislation, limiting MPs' ability to amend the plan.
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