Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what support his Department provides to prisoners who are released following imprisonment for public protection sentences; and whether that support is tailored to each prisoner.

All those serving an Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentence in the community on licence have an individual, bespoke risk management plan which outlines how they will be managed and supported. The Probation Service works with other statutory and community agencies to ensure the required support is in place, whether that be in relation to accommodation, employment or health needs. A probation officer will hold regular supervision sessions with the offender, to discuss progress and identify any further support needed.

The IPP Action Plan, now fully reviewed and updated, will provide the best opportunities for those serving an IPP sentence in prison to progress towards a safe and sustainable future release and help those serving the IPP sentence on licence in the community to navigate the challenges they face and to work towards applying successfully, once eligible, to have their licence terminated. The Plan is accessible via the following link: Letter from the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice on the Imprisonment for Public Protection Action Plan (parliament.uk).

Data on the IPP population, including the number of those remaining is prison are routinely published as part of the Offender Management Statistics Quarterly: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/offender-management-statistics-quarterly.