Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to improve the (a) accuracy and (b) oversight of prison release date calculations.

On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point action plan setting out initial steps to address issues including release in error and unlawful detention.

This includes the establishment of an Urgent Warrant Query Unit supported by court experts so prisons can escalate queries to reduce the risk of release in error. We have also stood up a digital rapid response unit to reduce human error with cutting-edge technology. We will provide up to £10 million over the next 6 months to deliver AI and technology-based solutions to support frontline staff, helping to avoid mistakes and calculate sentence accurately.

We are also simplifying release policy; one of the aims of the Sentencing Bill is to standardise how cases are treated.