Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will publish the modelling, estimates or projections for the numbers of offenders that will be immediately eligible for release post the introduction of the changes to the automatic release points as part of the Sentencing Bill 2025; and to include a breakdown of any such modelling, estimates or projections by offence and release numbers by individual days.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

As set out in the Sentencing Bill Impact Assessment, the Bill will ensure that the country has sufficient prison places by reducing demand by 7,500 places in 2028. The Bill will help ensure that the Criminal Justice System can continue to function with arrests and court trials continuing to go ahead, so avoiding a breakdown of law and order. The public will continue to be protected from the most serious offenders by ensuring prison places are available.

We are working across agencies to prepare and plan for implementation of the changes, and this Government is committed to ensuring that measures impacting sentencing and release are introduced safely, transparently and in a way that protects the public.

Release volumes for current prisoners will depend on whether they are subject to any ongoing criminal investigations or charges and therefore any additional sentences handed down by the Courts, and whether they are given added days for bad behaviour.

Around 17,000 prisoners are entirely excluded from the release point changes being brought forward in the Sentencing Bill.

The Ministry of Justice routinely publishes Accredited Official Statistics on prisoner releases as part of the Offender Management Statistics Quarterly (OMSQ) publication.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the reasons for professional complaints to the General Medical Council.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has not made an assessment of the reasons for professional complaints to the General Medical Council (GMC).

The GMC is the regulator of all medical doctors, physician assistants, and physician assistants in anaesthesia, still legally known as anaesthesia associates and physician associates, practising in the United Kingdom. The GMC is independent of the Government, is directly accountable to Parliament, and is responsible for operational matters concerning the discharge of its statutory duties.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department holds information on the planning contravention notice issued by Wealden District Council on the proposed accommodation of asylum seekers at the Crowborough Training Camp.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

Yes, Wealden District Council issued a Planning Contravention Notice on 21 November, requesting further information on how the site is currently being used. We will ensure that any development is safe, appropriate and compliant with planning regulations.