Roughly 700 of the estimated 4,500 prisoners eligible under the
Government's early prison release scheme were released on 1
October. This marked the first of 10 planned release phases, with
the final phase scheduled for June 2027.
The Sentencing Act 2026 introduced several changes to the early
release of prisoners in England and Wales. The Government has
said that this is intended to help ensure there is enough space
in prisons, while making sure there is tough supervision of
offenders when they are released to keep victims and the wider
public safe.[1]
However, the Met Commissioner raised concerns in 2025,
highlighting that the proposed changes to sentencing guidelines
were going to cost hundreds of millions in extra policing costs
and that the Government has been silent on the impact of
sentencing reforms on policing.[2]
The London Assembly Police and Crime Committee
will meet tomorrow to question the Met and the
Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime on the operational demand and
financial pressures the prisoner early release scheme is creating
for the Met, and how these risks, resource implications and costs
are being managed.
The Committee will also question guests on the
handling of investigating high profile individuals, including the
Jeffrey Esptein case.
Guests include:
-
Kaya Comer-Schwartz, Deputy Mayor for Policing
and Crime
-
Ade Adelekan, Temporary Assistant
Commissioner, Met Operations and Performance, Metropolitan
Police Service
The meeting will take place in the Chamber at City Hall on
Wednesday 14 October 2026 at
10am.
Notes for editors:
-
Progression model:
changes to prison release arrangements - GOV.UK
- LBC, Sentencing changes to cost hundreds of millions' in
extra policing, Met chief tells LBC, 28 May 2025
- Read the agenda in
full.
