Overview

• Ministry of Justice data show the prison population at 88,238 as of August 11, up 231 from the previous week and just 283 below the September 2024 record of 88,521.
• Emergency release measures since September 2024 have freed roughly 26,456 offenders after they served 40% of their fixed-term sentences.
• Following a David Gauke review, proposals would allow eligible inmates, excluding certain serious and terror offenders, to be released after serving one-third of their sentences.
• The 'deport now, appeal later' scheme will expand to 23 countries with 15 additional nations, though only 772 prisoners from the new countries were detained as of June.
• Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the reforms would save about £54,000 per prison place each year but require parliamentary approval before implementation.