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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Early release for foreign inmates | Early release for foreign inmates |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Foreign prisoners are to be released early because of overcrowding in jails in England and Wales, the Ministry of Justice has announced. | Foreign prisoners are to be released early because of overcrowding in jails in England and Wales, the Ministry of Justice has announced. |
| Justice minister David Hanson said foreign inmates would be eligible to be removed 270 days before serving half their sentence - rather than 135 days. | |
| He told the Commons the scheme could make an "even greater contribution to removing criminals from our shores". | |
| Last week, the prison population reached a record high of 81,918. | Last week, the prison population reached a record high of 81,918. |
| Of those, 11,310 (14%) are foreign national inmates. | Of those, 11,310 (14%) are foreign national inmates. |
| Government pledges | |
| BBC home affairs correspondent June Kelly said all foreign prisoners have to serve at least a quarter of their sentence before they are eligible for release. | BBC home affairs correspondent June Kelly said all foreign prisoners have to serve at least a quarter of their sentence before they are eligible for release. |
| She said those serving a life sentence would not be eligible and prisoners serving a term of four years or more for a sexual or violent offence would have to go before a parole board before being considered for release. | She said those serving a life sentence would not be eligible and prisoners serving a term of four years or more for a sexual or violent offence would have to go before a parole board before being considered for release. |
| In a written statement, Mr Hanson said more than 3,000 prisoners had been deported under the Early Release Scheme since its introduction in 2004. | |
| "This has made a significant contribution to reducing the number of foreign national criminals on our streets," he said. | |
| The rise in the prison population has meant police cells are regularly used to handle the overspill. | The rise in the prison population has meant police cells are regularly used to handle the overspill. |
| Gordon Brown has repeatedly pledged to cut prison numbers by sending prisoners home to serve their sentences. | |
| He has also promised that more will be ejected from the UK on release from jail. |