\n<\/p>\n
Pressed on how many foreign prisoners could be returned, Burnham said it was “hundreds”. Government figures show there were 10,134 foreign nationals in custody as of late June, representing 12% of the prison population.<\/p>\n
The government has said powers will be implemented early next year to deport some foreign criminals immediately after sentencing. <\/p>\n
Those powers would block foreign prisoners from ever returning to the country while “keeping those in prison for the most serious crimes locked up for a substantial period before they are removed”.<\/p>\n
The government is not thought to have signed any additional prisoner returns agreements with other countries.<\/p>\n
It is understood that work has also begun to create more cells in existing prisons by adapting space used for other purposes, but that is also expected to take months.<\/p>\n
None of the measures announced by Burnham are likely to create much additional prison capacity by the time the first batch of prisoners are released early in October.<\/p>\n
The prime minister is said to have taken a “political decision” to use some of the remaining capacity in the prison system to ensure the changes announced today could be implemented immediately.<\/p>\n
In addition to those in jail for manslaughter, the prime minister said prisoners convicted of indecent assault offences and death by dangerous driving will also remain in prison.<\/p>\n
Historic child sex offences and causing or allowing the death of a child will also be exempted from the early release scheme, while new “restriction zones” to better protect domestic violence survivors from perpetrators released early will be introduced. <\/p>\n
The justice secretary is expected to give a more precise figure for how many people will be affected when he gives a statement in Parliament on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
In response to Sunday’s announcement, Conservative shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy accused Labour of avoiding parliamentary scrutiny of the changes. <\/p>\n
“The government must delay the scheme, bring forward emergency primary legislation and exclude the worst offenders properly,” he said.<\/p>\n
Liberal Democrat justice spokesperson Jess Brown-Fuller MP said the uncertainty over the early release scheme had been “unforgivable”. <\/p>\n
“PC Andrew Harper’s killers will now remain in prison, but this should never have been in question,” she said. <\/p>\n
Dame Nicole Jacobs, Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales said she remains “deeply concerned about the number of abusers who will still be eligible for early release”.<\/p>\n
“Victims and survivors will still be forced to take measures to protect themselves from dangerous abusers because the government and our criminal justice system cannot”, she added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n