To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effect of the End of Custody Licence Scheme on prison overcrowding.

The ECL scheme was announced on 19 June 2007 and came into effect on 29 June 2007. Prisoners serving between four weeks and four years are released under temporary licence for the final 18 days of their sentence subject to meeting strict eligibility criteria and providing a release address. All prisoners released on ECL are liable to recall if they are reported to have misbehaved during the period of the licence.