Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average prison sentence was served by people convicted of terrorist offences in the last 10 years.

Tough sentences are available to the courts for terrorist offending. Sentencing in individual cases is a matter for our independent courts. Of the 54 prisoners who were released during the year 2014, who had been classified by the National Offender Management Service as terrorist offenders, and convicted in the last ten years, the average time served in prison was 23 months. This includes prisoners who have been convicted of general offences, as well as specific terrorism offences. Terrorist offending may be charged where appropriate as a general offence (e.g. attempted murder). This group of offenders will include not only those convicted of the most serious terrorist offending, but also offenders convicted of less grave Terrorism Act offences, (such as e.g. dissemination of terrorist publications or fundraising), who are likely to receive significantly shorter sentences than those who commit very serious terrorism-related crimes. The most serious terrorist offenders will be serving life sentences and if they remain a risk to the public, may never be released.