Sentences of Imprisonment for Public Protection
IPP sentences were abolished in 2012 but continue to cause controversy. Changes to licence termination arrangements are being phased in from 1 November 2024.
An Opposition Day debate (19th allotted day) on the subject of prisons has been scheduled for Wednesday 25 January 2017.
Prisons (224 KB , PDF)
In recent months there have been reports of serious disturbances in a number of prisons across England and Wales. The Government has published a White Paper Prison Safety and Reform, which acknowledges a recent decline in prison safety. Steps taken so far include rolling out new tests for psychoactive drugs and increasing staffing levels Legislation is expected early in 2017.
Background on some of the underlying issues is provided in Library Briefing Paper 7467, Safety in Prisons in England and Wales, 30 November 2016.
A Debate pack has been published via this page which assembles press and parliamentary material on the subject.
The motion for the debate was not published at the time of writing.
Prisons (224 KB , PDF)
IPP sentences were abolished in 2012 but continue to cause controversy. Changes to licence termination arrangements are being phased in from 1 November 2024.
Whilst the suicide rate in prisons has declined since 2016, it is still significantly higher than in the general population
On 25 July the House of Commons will debate a draft order which would change the automatic release point for standard determinate sentences from 50% to 40%.