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Related: Minister unable to say whether prison places have risen or fallen since Labour took office

A record 52,716 offenders in England and Wales were recalled to prison in the year to June after breaching their licence terms, representing a 27 per cent increase on the previous year.

Ministry of Justice statistics show the surge coincided with emergency measures that saw 79,274 inmates released early under the SDS40 scheme between September 2024 and June 2026.

Policy changes allowing offenders to be recalled multiple times for 56-day periods rather than held until the end of their sentence also contributed to the high number of recalls.

The emergency SDS40 early release initiative was replaced on 1 October by a permanent scheme under the Sentencing Act 2026.

The Government defended the measures, stating decisive action was necessary to protect the public and prevent the total collapse of the prison system .

In full Record prison recalls surge in…