Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps has his department has taken to mitigate the financial impact of the mistaken release of prisoners.

Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan setting out initial steps to address the issue.

Locating and re-apprehending suspects relate to policing and are a matter for the Home Office. There is no inherent court cost involved in the release in error cases.

The Government is determined to fix the issue of mistaken releases and ensure the public is properly protected.