Overview

This bill aims to increase the minimum sentence served by individuals convicted of terrorism-related offenses before they are eligible for release on license. It applies to both England and Wales and Scotland, changing the existing early release provisions for these offenders.

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 terrorist offenses. This includes offenses explicitly defined under counter-terrorism legislation and other offenses determined by the court to have a terrorist connection.

Key Changes:

• Eligibility for Release: Terrorist prisoners will only be eligible for release on license after serving at least two-thirds of their sentence. The Parole Board must be satisfied that release is no longer a threat to public safety.
• Parole Board Involvement: The Secretary of State is required to refer the case to the Parole Board for review and subsequent release decisions.
• Licence Conditions: The Secretary of State cannot impose, change, or cancel license conditions unless directed by the Parole Board, except for licenses granted to terrorist offenders following a Board direction for release.
• Specific Offences: The bill lists specific offenses in Schedules 1 (England and Wales) and 2 (Scotland) that fall under this restricted release criteria, including offenses under various counter-terrorism acts, and certain serious crimes that have a terrorist connection.
• Transitional Provisions: The bill includes transitional provisions to address cases already in progress.

Government Spending

The bill doesn't directly specify the cost. However, it is expected to increase prison costs due to longer incarceration periods before parole eligibility and increased supervision costs once released.

Groups Affected

The bill primarily affects:

• Terrorist offenders: They will serve longer sentences before being eligible for release on license.
• The Parole Board: Increased workload due to additional referrals and decision-making.
• The Prison Service: Increased costs from longer incarceration periods.
• The Police and Security Services: Potentially increased workload relating to monitoring individuals released under license.
• The Public: Increased safety due to potentially dangerous individuals being kept incarcerated for longer periods.

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