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Criminal Justice Act 2003
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Changes over time for: Section 256AZBA
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There are outstanding changes not yet made by the legislation.gov.uk editorial team to Criminal Justice Act 2003. Any changes that have already been made by the team appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
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Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Section 256AZBA:
- s. 151(A1) inserted by 2008 c. 4 s. 11(3)
- s. 151(1A) inserted by 2008 c. 4 s. 11(5)
- s. 151(2A)(b) substituted by 2009 c. 25 Sch. 17 para. 8(4)
- s. 151(4A) inserted by 2009 c. 25 Sch. 17 para. 8(5)
- s. 151(8)(a) words substituted by 2009 c. 25 Sch. 17 para. 8(6)(a)
- s. 151(8)(b) words inserted by 2009 c. 25 Sch. 17 para. 8(6)(b)(i)
- s. 151(8)(b) words substituted by 2009 c. 25 Sch. 17 para. 8(6)(b)(ii)
- s. 151(8)(c)-(f) inserted by 2009 c. 25 Sch. 17 para. 8(6)(c)
- s. 237(1A) inserted by 2006 c. 48 s. 34(3)
- s. 237(1B)(f)(g) inserted by 2021 c. 11 Sch. 13 para. 40(b)
- s. 239A inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 8(1)
- s. 239A cross-heading inserted by 2015 c. 2 Sch. 3 para. 5
- s. 243A(3)(a)(aa) substituted for s. 243A(3)(a) by 2026 c. 2 s. 23(2)(c)
- s. 244(3)(a)(aa) substituted for s. 244(3)(a) by 2026 c. 2 s. 23(3)
- s. 244ZA(8)(a)(aa) substituted for s. 244ZA(8)(a) by 2026 c. 2 s. 23(4)
- s. 246(1A) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 26(2)(c)
- s. 250(4)(b)(ai) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 27(3)(a)(i)
- s. 250(4)(b)(bi) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 27(3)(a)(ii)
- s. 250(4)(b)(ci) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 27(3)(a)(iii)
- s. 250(4)(b)(di) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 27(3)(a)(iv)
- s. 250(5C) inserted by 2015 c. 2 Sch. 3 para. 7(4)
- s. 250(8A) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 27(3)(b)
- s. 250A inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 27(4)
- s. 250B inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 27(5)
- s. 250C inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 27(6)
- s. 250D inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 27(7)
- s. 255A(4A) inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 9(2)
- s. 255B(1)-(1B) substituted for s. 255B(1) by 2026 c. 2 s. 31(3)
- s. 255B(3A) inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 9(3)(b)
- s. 255B(3A) inserted by 2024 c. 21 s. 59(5)
- s. 255B(4A)-(4C) inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 9(3)(d)
- s. 255B(11)(12) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 31(6)
- s. 255C(3A) inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 9(4)(b)
- s. 255C(3A) inserted by 2024 c. 21 s. 59(6)
- s. 255C(4A)-(4C) inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 9(4)(d)
- s. 255C(9) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 33(8)(c)
- s. 255BA(4A) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 32(4)
- s. 256A(1)-(1B) substituted for s. 256A(1) by 2015 c. 2 s. 9(6)(a)
- s. 256A(4A)(4B) inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 9(6)(f)
- s. 256A(5)(6) substituted for s. 256A(5) by 2015 c. 2 s. 9(6)(g)
- s. 256AZA inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 10(1)
- s. 256AZB(1)(ba) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 33(10)(c)
- s. 257(3) inserted by 2006 c. 48 s. 34(4)
- s. 258(1A) inserted by 2006 c. 48 s. 34(5)
- s. 264(6)(cb)-(cd) substituted for s. 264(6)(cb) by 2026 c. 2 s. 23(7)(b)(i)
- s. 268A inserted by 2024 c. 21 s. 70
- Sch. 19A para. 3(3A) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 37(5)(b)(i)
- Sch. 19A omitted by 2026 c. 2 s. 34(1)(c)
- Sch. 19A para. 3(4)(b) substituted by 2026 c. 2 s. 36(4)
- Sch. 19A para. 3(5)(5A) substituted for Sch. 19A para. 3(5) by 2026 c. 2 s. 37(5)(b)(ii)
- Sch. 19A para. 10(2)(b) word substituted by 2026 c. 2 s. 37(5)(d)
- Sch. 19A para. 2(f) words inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 37(5)(a)
- Sch. 19A para. 6 words substituted by 2026 c. 2 s. 37(5)(c)
- Sch. 19ZB inserted by 2026 c. 2 Sch. 4
- Sch. 20B para. 34(6)(7) substituted for Sch. 20B para. 34(6) by 2015 c. 2 Sch. 3 para. 10
- Sch. 31 para. 2(1A) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 37(7)(a)(i)
- Sch. 31 para. 2A inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 37(7)(b)
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- s. 151(A1) inserted by 2008 c. 4 s. 11(3)
- s. 151(1A) inserted by 2008 c. 4 s. 11(5)
- s. 151(2A)(b) substituted by 2009 c. 25 Sch. 17 para. 8(4)
- s. 151(4A) inserted by 2009 c. 25 Sch. 17 para. 8(5)
- s. 151(8)(a) words substituted by 2009 c. 25 Sch. 17 para. 8(6)(a)
- s. 151(8)(b) words inserted by 2009 c. 25 Sch. 17 para. 8(6)(b)(i)
- s. 151(8)(b) words substituted by 2009 c. 25 Sch. 17 para. 8(6)(b)(ii)
- s. 151(8)(c)-(f) inserted by 2009 c. 25 Sch. 17 para. 8(6)(c)
- s. 237(1A) inserted by 2006 c. 48 s. 34(3)
- s. 237(1B)(f)(g) inserted by 2021 c. 11 Sch. 13 para. 40(b)
- s. 239A inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 8(1)
- s. 239A cross-heading inserted by 2015 c. 2 Sch. 3 para. 5
- s. 243A(3)(a)(aa) substituted for s. 243A(3)(a) by 2026 c. 2 s. 23(2)(c)
- s. 244(3)(a)(aa) substituted for s. 244(3)(a) by 2026 c. 2 s. 23(3)
- s. 244ZA(8)(a)(aa) substituted for s. 244ZA(8)(a) by 2026 c. 2 s. 23(4)
- s. 246(1A) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 26(2)(c)
- s. 250(4)(b)(ai) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 27(3)(a)(i)
- s. 250(4)(b)(bi) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 27(3)(a)(ii)
- s. 250(4)(b)(ci) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 27(3)(a)(iii)
- s. 250(4)(b)(di) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 27(3)(a)(iv)
- s. 250(5C) inserted by 2015 c. 2 Sch. 3 para. 7(4)
- s. 250(8A) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 27(3)(b)
- s. 250A inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 27(4)
- s. 250B inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 27(5)
- s. 250C inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 27(6)
- s. 250D inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 27(7)
- s. 255A(4A) inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 9(2)
- s. 255B(1)-(1B) substituted for s. 255B(1) by 2026 c. 2 s. 31(3)
- s. 255B(3A) inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 9(3)(b)
- s. 255B(3A) inserted by 2024 c. 21 s. 59(5)
- s. 255B(4A)-(4C) inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 9(3)(d)
- s. 255B(11)(12) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 31(6)
- s. 255C(3A) inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 9(4)(b)
- s. 255C(3A) inserted by 2024 c. 21 s. 59(6)
- s. 255C(4A)-(4C) inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 9(4)(d)
- s. 255C(9) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 33(8)(c)
- s. 255BA(4A) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 32(4)
- s. 256A(1)-(1B) substituted for s. 256A(1) by 2015 c. 2 s. 9(6)(a)
- s. 256A(4A)(4B) inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 9(6)(f)
- s. 256A(5)(6) substituted for s. 256A(5) by 2015 c. 2 s. 9(6)(g)
- s. 256AZA inserted by 2015 c. 2 s. 10(1)
- s. 256AZB(1)(ba) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 33(10)(c)
- s. 257(3) inserted by 2006 c. 48 s. 34(4)
- s. 258(1A) inserted by 2006 c. 48 s. 34(5)
- s. 264(6)(cb)-(cd) substituted for s. 264(6)(cb) by 2026 c. 2 s. 23(7)(b)(i)
- s. 268A inserted by 2024 c. 21 s. 70
- Sch. 19A para. 3(3A) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 37(5)(b)(i)
- Sch. 19A omitted by 2026 c. 2 s. 34(1)(c)
- Sch. 19A para. 3(4)(b) substituted by 2026 c. 2 s. 36(4)
- Sch. 19A para. 3(5)(5A) substituted for Sch. 19A para. 3(5) by 2026 c. 2 s. 37(5)(b)(ii)
- Sch. 19A para. 10(2)(b) word substituted by 2026 c. 2 s. 37(5)(d)
- Sch. 19A para. 2(f) words inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 37(5)(a)
- Sch. 19A para. 6 words substituted by 2026 c. 2 s. 37(5)(c)
- Sch. 19ZB inserted by 2026 c. 2 Sch. 4
- Sch. 20B para. 34(6)(7) substituted for Sch. 20B para. 34(6) by 2015 c. 2 Sch. 3 para. 10
- Sch. 31 para. 2(1A) inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 37(7)(a)(i)
- Sch. 31 para. 2A inserted by 2026 c. 2 s. 37(7)(b)
[F1256AZBAReferral of release decisions to High CourtE+W
This section has no associated Explanatory Notes
(1)This section applies where—
(a)a prisoner is serving a fixed-term sentence imposed in respect of an offence specified or described in section 256AZBB, and
(b)the Board directs the prisoner’s release under a provision mentioned in the second column of the table in section 237B.
(2)The Secretary of State may direct the Board to refer the prisoner’s case to the High Court if the Secretary of State considers that—
(a)the release of the prisoner would be likely to undermine public confidence in the parole system, and
(b)if the case were referred, the High Court might not be satisfied that it is no longer necessary for the protection of the public that the prisoner should be confined (see section 256AZBC(1)).
(3)The requirement for the Secretary of State to give effect to the Board’s direction to release the prisoner is suspended—
(a)during such period, beginning with the day on which the direction is given, as the Secretary of State reasonably requires to determine whether to direct the Board to refer the prisoner’s case to the High Court under this section, and
(b)if the Secretary of State gives such a direction, pending determination of the reference under section 256AZBC(1).
(4)Where the Secretary of State gives a direction under subsection (2), the Secretary of State must notify the prisoner of the direction and the reasons for giving it.
(5)This section applies in relation to a prisoner whose sentence was imposed before, as well as after, this section comes into force.
(6)But nothing in this section affects the duty of the Secretary of State to release a prisoner whose release has been directed by the Board before this section comes into force.]
Textual Amendments
F1Ss. 256AZBA-256AZBC and cross-heading inserted (31.12.2025) by Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 (c. 21), ss. 62(1), 81(2); S.I. 2025/1325, reg. 2(f)
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1S. 256AZBA modified (22.3.2026) by 1984 c. 27, Sch. para. 2B(6) (as inserted by Sentencing Act 2026 (c. 2), ss. 41(1), 49(4) (with s. 41(3)(4)))
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