David Lammy will be dragged in front of Parliament today as he faces pressure over a series of bungled prison releases.

The Justice Secretary will give his delayed statement on accidental prisoner releases this afternoon as he faces departmental questions from his Conservative opposite, Robert Jenrick.

Mr Jenrick is expected to grill the Deputy Prime Minister on three key areas, the number of prisoners accidentally released since April 1; the number still at large; and the names of those released and how many of them are violent or sexual offenders.

Stronger security checks were announced for prisons and an independent investigation was launched into releases in error after Hadush Kebatu was freed from HMP Chelmsford on October 24.

Three prisoners are now understood to be at large after being released in error.

Over the weekend, it was reported that a total of four such offenders had been released in error, with two released in June this year, and two in 2024.

On Monday, sources within the Government suggested that one of these had been returned to custody.

But in a sign of the crisis behind the scenes within the custodial estate, he is understood to have never actually been released in error, and was miscounted among those who had been.

Whether the miscounted prisoner remains in custody or was released at the correct time is unclear.

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In its response to a consultation on reforms, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government said there were “widespread concerns” about inconsistent use of the current rules and a lack of effective sanctions for breaches of councils’ code of conduct.