Question
It is bad enough that dangerous criminals are being released early, but my constituents are frankly terrified that these prisoners are being released without tags—the world has gone mad, Minister. Will this Government commit not to release prisoners without tags?
Answer
The hon. Gentleman will have heard the answers I have given on the business as usual that we inherited: it was always the plan that from 1 October, offenders would normally be tagged at their accommodation. We are presuming that more offenders and individuals released from prison will be eligible for tags than at any point in history, and we are investing significantly in that. We have undertaken a pilot of tagging prisoners at the prison, which has been shown to be successful, and we will work at pace to roll that out further as quickly as possible.17% point-scoring
Verdict: AMBER (42/100)
The reply sets out concrete steps, including tagging offenders at their accommodation from 1 October, a pilot of tagging prisoners, and a commitment to roll the scheme out quickly. However, it does not say whether the Government will firmly refuse release without a tag, which is the central point of the question. Because the word "normally" leaves that commitment open, the asker would likely need to follow up for a clear answer.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will the Government commit not to release prisoners without tags? | Partially Addressed | Direct | The reply names concrete mechanisms (tagging offenders at their accommodation from 1 October, a pilot of tagging prisoners, and a commitment to roll it out quickly), but it never states whether the Government will commit to refusing release without a tag. The word "normally" leaves the answer short of the firm commitment the question asks for. |