Response to Independent Review into Releases in Error
Summary
The UK Ministry of Justice has published its formal response to Dame Lynne Owens' Independent Review into Releases in Error, which examined the mistaken release of Mr Hadush Kebatu from HMP Chelmsford. The government accepts all recommendations in principle and commits up to £82 million of investment over the Spending Review period to reduce release errors. The response is underpinned by three themes: improving victim communication, modernising systems through digitisation and AI, and simplifying court and prison processes.
What changed
The Ministry of Justice published its response accepting all recommendations from Dame Lynne Owens' independent review into releases in error. The review was commissioned following the mistaken release of Mr Hadush Kebatu from HMP Chelmsford and examined the wider causes of releases in error across the prison system. The government commits up to £82 million in funding over the Spending Review period to drive down errors to pre-crisis levels and toward zero.
Affected parties including Prison Service providers, courts, and victim support organisations should monitor for forthcoming guidance on implementing the three key themes: victim communication improvements, digital modernisation including AI tools, and process simplification. The response indicates that recommendations within the current Spending Review period will be taken forward immediately, with further action subject to future funding decisions.
What to do next
- Monitor for updates on government implementation of recommendations
- Review internal processes for prisoner release procedures
- Prepare for potential changes to victim notification requirements
Archived snapshot
Apr 15, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Policy paper
Response to the Independent Review into Releases in Error
The government response to Dame Lynne Owens’ Independent Review into Releases in Error.
From: Ministry of Justice Published 15 April 2026 Get emails about this page
Documents
Written ministerial statement: government response to Dame Lynne Owens' independent review into releases in error
PDF, 179 KB, 8 pages
Independent review into releases in error: a report for the Deputy Prime Minister
PDF, 2.9 MB, 202 pages
Releases in error: policy overview
Ref: ISBN 978-1-5286-6361-8, CP 1552
HTML
Releases in error: policy overview
Ref: ISBN 978-1-5286-6361-8, CP 1552
PDF, 320 KB, 15 pages
Details
This document sets out the government’s response to the Independent Review into Releases in Error. In November 2025, the Deputy Prime Minister set out a national five-point plan, which included commissioning Dame Lynne Owens, former Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and former Director General of the National Crime Agency, to undertake an independent review into the mistaken release of Mr Hadush Kebatu from HMP Chelmsford, alongside the wider causes of releases in error, and to make recommendations to prevent similar mistakes in the future.
The government response acknowledges Dame Lynne’s report, and the thorough nature of the review. It responds to the report’s findings and recommendations, accepting all in principle, with those falling within the current Spending Review period being taken forward now and further action committed, subject to future funding decisions. It also outlines progress already made against the five-point plan, as well as outlining action underway to address releases in error and act on the recommendations.
This includes how the government will deliver on its plan to drive down the number of errors to pre-prison capacity crisis levels, and drive them down year-on-year, with the ultimate ambition to get as close to zero as possible in the coming years. The government’s approach is supported by up to £82 million of investment over this Spending Review period, and underpinned by three key themes:
- improving communication with victims when a release in error occurs
- modernising systems through digitalisation and harnessing AI tools to reduce error and improve reliability
- simplification of processes across courts and prisons to reduce the risk of sentence calculations
Updates to this page
Published 15 April 2026
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