The Crisis of Overcrowded Prisons has led the Lord Chief Justice to call for judges to bear overcrowding in mind when sentencing, and the Home Secretary has announced plans to extend the home detention curfew scheme, which was discussed by my noble friend Lord Windlesham.

We have a self-perpetuating Crisis of Overcrowded Prisons, including the presence of prisoners with severe mental health conditions, who obviously absorb a lot of staff time; meanwhile, we are making the mental health conditions for other prisoners worse.