Overview

This bill aims to increase the minimum prison sentence served by individuals convicted of terrorist offences before they are eligible for release on licence. It applies to both England and Wales and Scotland, making changes to existing legislation governing early release from prison.

Description

The bill amends the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (England and Wales) and the Prisoners and Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Act 1993 to restrict early release for individuals convicted of specified terrorist offences. These offences include those under various counter-terrorism acts and other serious crimes deemed to have a terrorist connection.

Key Changes:

• Increased Minimum Sentence Before Release: Terrorist offenders will now typically serve at least two-thirds of their sentence before being considered for release by the Parole Board (or equivalent body in Scotland).
• Parole Board Involvement: The Parole Board will have the ultimate decision on release, ensuring public safety is a priority.
• Stricter Licence Conditions: The bill gives the Secretary of State more power to set and modify licence conditions for released terrorist offenders, ensuring tighter monitoring.
• Specific Offences Listed: The bill explicitly lists various offences that fall under this legislation, including offenses under counter-terrorism legislation, serious violent crimes, and offenses related to weapons of mass destruction, as well as attempts, conspiracy and incitement to commit such crimes.

The bill also includes consequential amendments to address related legislation and transitional provisions for individuals already serving sentences.

Government Spending

The bill is not expected to have a significant impact on government spending. The cost of implementing the changes will likely be offset by the reduced cost of housing prisoners longer-term. Exact figures are not provided in the bill text.

Groups Affected

• Terrorist Offenders: This bill will directly impact convicted terrorist offenders in England, Wales, and Scotland, increasing the length of time they must serve before being eligible for release.
• Parole Boards: The Parole Boards in England and Wales and Scotland will have an increased workload in reviewing cases of terrorist offenders.
• The Police and Security Services: These groups will continue to monitor released offenders and manage any risks to public safety, likely with some increase in workload.
• The Public: The bill intends to enhance public safety by keeping potentially dangerous individuals imprisoned longer.

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