Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill

Approximately 200, if the measure is passed. The broad definition will allow the courts to remand a defendant to protect the public from violence when it is clear that the circumstances of the offence or the defendant's history make it necessary or appropriate. New clauses 26 and 27 and new schedule 6 would enable the sentencing court to direct that up to half the time spent on bail under an electronically monitored curfew could be credited against a subsequent custodial sentence in a similar way to that in which remands in custody are already credited. That could also give us approximately 200 places. In those circumstances, prisoners would need to spend at least nine hours a day subject to electronically monitored curfew to qualify for the credit and would not receive full credit for each day of the curfew. Sentences would also be required to take account of the defendant's compliance with the curfew condition and have discretion to direct that all parts or none of the available time would be credited against the sentence. In new clause 25 and new schedule 3, we have taken the opportunity to clarify the legislative framework for applying electronic monitoring to support bail conditions imposed by the courts on adults and those aged 17. New clause 48 would equalise parole arrangements. It amends the early release provisions in part II of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 for prisoners sentenced to four years and more for any offence other than a sexual or violent offence. It is intended that such prisoners will be subject to release arrangements identical to those for fixed-term prisoners who are currently sentenced under the Criminal Justice Act 2003. Under new clause 48, prisoners who are convicted of offences other than sexual or violent offences would be released automatically on licence at the halfway point of their sentence. They would no longer be required to apply to the Parole Board for discretionary release at the halfway point or wait until the two-thirds point before becoming eligible for automatic release. They will be on licence and liable to recall until the point at which their sentence expires, which compares with existing arrangements whereby the licence expires at the three-quarter point of the sentence.