Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether people being released early under the terms of the Sentencing Act 2026 may be exempted from ankle tagging on the grounds of being diagnosed with anxiety.

Electronic monitoring and Sentencing Act 2026 guidance states that individuals may be exempted from electronic monitoring where wearing a tag is medically inappropriate. Poor mental health alone, such as anxiety, is not grounds for exemption.

Cases where a neurological condition makes tagging unsafe or impractical, or where an individual lacks the mental capacity to understand their electronic monitoring conditions may be exempt. Exemption decisions are made on a case by case basis, based on professional judgement and, where appropriate, relevant medical evidence.