The previous emergency release process was necessary to ensure that prisons could continue to function safely and effectively following a sharp and unexpected rise in the prison population. The emergency release power was limited to those with under 180 days left to serve; 65 per cent of those who were eligible had 90 days or less left to serve.
Important exclusions were put in place for domestic abuse and sexual offences, and there were additional ways in which victims could find out about the release of the prisoner in their case. I did not take that decision lightly, but it provided some critical breathing space for the Scottish Prison Service.
I made it clear to the Criminal Justice Committee that that was a short-term measure and that a number of other actions were needed. That is why we have increased investment in community-based interventions, alongside wider measures to support a sustainable reduction in the prison population.