16 hours ago
Lords urge action on ‘no-hope' indefinite prison sentences
Peers in the House of Lords have urged the government to address indefinite Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) sentences, which continue to hold thousands of prisoners despite being abolished in 2012.
Labour peer Lord Tony Woodley has introduced a bill to resentence IPP prisoners, likening the situation to the Post Office and infected blood scandals.
The UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Dr Alice Edwards, said that IPP sentences have caused "unlawful psychological torture" and called for an end to the scheme.
Prisons minister James Timpson said the government's focus is on public protection and the IPP Action Plan is its current strategy, though it is considering new proposals.
An expert panel from the Howard League for Penal Reform has proposed that all IPP prisoners should be given a release date within two years at their next parole hearing.
