Releases in error have been increasing for several years and are another symptom of the prison system crisis inherited by this Government. On 11 November, the Deputy Prime Minister announced a five-point national action plan to reduce releases in error, which includes strengthening release checks across prisons and an independent review led by Dame Lynne Owens.

Totals for releases in error, including a breakdown by releasing prison (or Prisoner Escort Custody Services), are published each July in the HMPPS Annual Digest, available via HMPPS Annual Digest, April 2024 to March 2025 - GOV.UK(opens in a new tab), and provide data up to March 2025.

The Government is determined to fix the issue of mistaken releases and ensure the public is properly protected.

The table below shows the number of prisoners released from, and recalled to, HMP Lincoln and HMP Peterborough between 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, and the number of those who were subsequently recalled, either once or more than once, during that period.

Notes:

1. Includes prisoners at both male and female establishments at HMP Peterborough.

2. Number of individual sentences. It is possible that a very small number of offenders may have been released for the first time on different sentences during the period.

The figures in this table have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Source: Prison NOMIS and Public Protection Database

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

I am currently considering the content and recommendations of the report from the IMB at HMP Lincoln which was published on 8 July 2019. I will respond to the report as soon as that process is completed, and I will ensure a copy of the response is sent to the Hon Member for Lincoln.

I am currently considering the content and recommendations of the report from the IMB at HMP Lincoln which was published on 8 July 2019. I will respond to the report as soon as that process is completed, and I will ensure a copy of the response is sent to the Hon Member for Lincoln.

I am currently considering the content and recommendations of the report from the IMB at HMP Lincoln which was published on 8 July 2019. I will respond to the report as soon as that process is completed, and I will ensure a copy of the response is sent to the Hon Member for Lincoln.

I am currently considering the content and recommendations of the report from the IMB at HMP Lincoln which was published on 8 July 2019. I will respond to the report as soon as that process is completed, and I will ensure a copy of the response is sent to the Hon Member for Lincoln.

I am currently considering the content and recommendations of the report from the IMB at HMP Lincoln which was published on 8 July 2019. I will respond to the report as soon as that process is completed, and I will ensure a copy of the response is sent to the Hon Member for Lincoln.

I am currently considering the content and recommendations of the report from the IMB at HMP Lincoln which was published on 8 July 2019. I will respond to the report as soon as that process is completed, and I will ensure a copy of the response is sent to the Hon Member for Lincoln.

I am currently considering the content and recommendations of the report from the IMB at HMP Lincoln which was published on 8 July 2019. I will respond to the report as soon as that process is completed, and I will ensure a copy of the response is sent to the Hon Member for Lincoln.

There are no plans to make any Prison Service staff in HMP Lincoln redundant in 2013. Some members of staff have, however, accepted offers under a voluntary early departure scheme (VEDS). Under civil service compensation arrangements, staff offered VEDS are given three months’ notice.

No prison officers at HMP Lincoln have either been made redundant or been given notice of redundancy between December 2012 and June 2013.

Prisoners who are considered as being at-risk of self-harm may be placed on an Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) Plan. ACCT is a prisoner focused care planning system for those prisoners identified as being at-risk of self-harm and/or suicide. ACCT has helped prisons to manage prisoners’ risk of self-harm and suicide since 2007. Establishments record and monitor the number of prisoners supported through an ACCT plan locally. There is currently no ability to centrally report this information.

The vast majority of self-harm is not directly life threatening but nevertheless can be extremely distressing both for those affected by it and those who have to deal with it. There are no easy solutions to self-harm but we remain committed to managing and finding ways to reduce it.

The latest available figures show that 6,623 individual prisoners self-harmed in 2010 and 6,854 in 2011. The figures for 2012 are not due to be published until April 2013.

The latest available figures for HMP Lincoln show that 78 individual prisoners self-harmed in 2010 and 95 in 2011. Figures for 2012 will not be available until April 2013.

The Ministry of Justice is only responsible for prisons in England and Wales. Statistics for other areas of the UK should be obtained from the respective Administration. The number of individuals reported as self-harming in England and Wales for 2010 and 2011 are given in the following table.

Statistics on the total number of individuals who self-harmed in English and Welsh establishments during 2010 and 2011 calendar years were provided in the Safety in Custody bulletin published in July 2012. This showed there were 6,623 individuals self-harming in 2010 and 6,854 individuals self-harming in 2011. The sum of individuals in the table will add up to more than these numbers as some individuals may be counted in more than one establishment if they have been transferred and committed an act considered to be self-harm in both establishments. Statistics on reported self-harm incidents for 2012 are scheduled to be published on 25 April 2013.

The information is as follows:

(1) There is no specific measure for those at risk of suicide because the intent of individuals self-harming is not always known. The latest available figures show that 6,623 individual prisoners self-harmed in 2010 and 6,854 in 2011 but very few of these would have intended to take their lives. The numbers for 2012 are not due to be published until April 2013.

(2) The National Offender Management Service has in place a prisoner focused care planning system for those identified as at risk of self-harm or suicide. The system, Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT), has helped prisons to manage prisoners’ risk of self-harm and suicide since 2007. The vast majority of self-harm is not directly life threatening but nevertheless can be extremely distressing both for those affected by it

and those who have to deal with it. There are no easy solutions to self-harm but we remain committed to managing and finding ways to reduce it.

(3) Information on additional support provided to prisoners at risk of self-harm is not held centrally. The ACCT care planning process will identify any specific support needs of individual prisoners.

(4) There is no specific measure for those at risk of suicide because the intent of individuals self-harming is not always known. The latest available figures for HMP Lincoln show that 78 individual prisoners self-harmed in 2010 and 95 in 2011. We currently publish the number of self-harm incidents by prison but not the corresponding numbers of individuals self-harming. Figures for 2012 will not be available until April 2013.

(5) Information on additional support provided to prisoners at risk of self-harm is not held centrally. The ACCT care planning process at HMP Lincoln will identify any specific support needs.

(6) Nationally, there were 58 self-inflicted deaths in 2010 and 57 in 2011. The numbers for 2012 are due to be published in April 2012.

The information is as follows:

(1) There is no specific measure for those at risk of suicide because the intent of individuals self-harming is not always known. The latest available figures show that 6,623 individual prisoners self-harmed in 2010 and 6,854 in 2011 but very few of these would have intended to take their lives. The numbers for 2012 are not due to be published until April 2013.

(2) The National Offender Management Service has in place a prisoner focused care planning system for those identified as at risk of self-harm or suicide. The system, Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT), has helped prisons to manage prisoners’ risk of self-harm and suicide since 2007. The vast majority of self-harm is not directly life threatening but nevertheless can be extremely distressing both for those affected by it

and those who have to deal with it. There are no easy solutions to self-harm but we remain committed to managing and finding ways to reduce it.

(3) Information on additional support provided to prisoners at risk of self-harm is not held centrally. The ACCT care planning process will identify any specific support needs of individual prisoners.

(4) There is no specific measure for those at risk of suicide because the intent of individuals self-harming is not always known. The latest available figures for HMP Lincoln show that 78 individual prisoners self-harmed in 2010 and 95 in 2011. We currently publish the number of self-harm incidents by prison but not the corresponding numbers of individuals self-harming. Figures for 2012 will not be available until April 2013.

(5) Information on additional support provided to prisoners at risk of self-harm is not held centrally. The ACCT care planning process at HMP Lincoln will identify any specific support needs.

(6) Nationally, there were 58 self-inflicted deaths in 2010 and 57 in 2011. The numbers for 2012 are due to be published in April 2012.

I refer the noble Baroness to the Written Answer I provided on 9 January 2012 referred to in Hansard (col. WA 101) where I explained that, NOMS accepts that the performance at HMIP Lincoln was declining at the time of the inspection. The inspectorate report concluded that Lincoln was not effectively applying NOMS violence reduction policies and that conclusion has been fully accepted. Since the inspection of HMP Lincoln, a new governor has been appointed and he has introduced various measures to improve safety, decency and the regime.

NOMS is fully committed to ensuring that prisons are safe places for all those who live and work there and one of its primary aims is delivering safer custody procedures and practices to ensure that a safe environment is provided for staff and prisoners. The governor has introduced a full time safer custody manager with administrative support, and better violence reduction processes are now in place at the prison.

NOMS is considering the recommendations made in the chief inspector's report on Lincoln, which was published on 11 December 2012. As with all establishment inspection reports by HMIP, NOMS intends to produce an action plan responding to all the recommendations made in the report between three and six months after the date of publication. I will therefore write to the noble Baroness detailing the response to the recommendations about this matter once the plan has been sent to the chief inspector.

NOMS accepts that the performance at HMP Lincoln was declining at the time of the inspection. The inspectorate report concluded that Lincoln was not effectively applying NOMS violence reduction policies and that conclusion has been fully accepted.

NOMS is fully committed to zero tolerance to violence in our prisons. Violence is not acceptable in any form. Everyone has to right to be in a safe environment free from abuse, harm or oppression. However any sanctions applied in support of this aim must always have the authority of and be compliant with prison rules.

Since the inspection a new governor has been appointed and he has introduced various measures to improve safety, decency and the regime. This includes monitoring and taking appropriate action to address and reduce incidences of violence and bullying.

The UK Border Agency only detains foreign national offenders (FNOs) with a view to deporting or removing them from the UK, and has no wish to detain them for any longer than necessary. Deportation can be delayed through the use of judicial challenges or by the individual’s failure to comply with the re-documentation process.

Every decision to detain an FNO is considered in terms of the potential risk of harm to the public if a foreign criminal is released and is reviewed every 28 days. Those who are detained have always been able to apply to an independent immigration judge for bail.