The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 (Commencement No. 3) Regulations 2024

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations bring into force specified provisions of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 (c. 21) (the “2024 Act”). These are the third commencement Regulations made under the 2024 Act.

Regulation 2 brings Part 2 of the 2024 Act (victims of major incidents) into force, except for the provisions that relate to the standing advocate, which will be brought into force when the appointment of the standing advocate is made following the recruitment process, and section 46 (review of duty of candour in relation to major incidents).

Regulations 3 and 4 bring sections 66 and 67 of the 2024 Act into force. Section 66 amends sections 31, 31A and 32 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 (c. 43) (the “1997 Act”) which provide for the termination of licences for those serving sentences of Imprisonment or Detention for Public Protection (“IPP and DPP”) and setting licence conditions for IPP and DPP offenders. Section 67 requires the Secretary of State to prepare and publish an annual report about the steps taken to support the rehabilitation of IPP and DPP offenders and their progress towards release from prison or licence termination and lay the report before Parliament. These provisions will come into force on 1 November 2024.

From 1 November 2024, the qualifying period will be three years for IPP offenders and two years for DPP offenders for the purpose of the automatic licence termination, but will remain ten years for other purposes. On 1 February 2025, the qualifying period for all other purposes, including when the Secretary of State must refer a DPP and IPP licence to the Parole Board for consideration of licence termination, will be two and three years respectively.

An impact assessment has not been produced for this statutory instrument as no significant impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.