Lord Falconer to discuss family courts

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Lord Falconer is due to address the issues raised in a new paper - "Confidence and confidentiality: Openness in family courts - A new approach" - published by his newly created department.

He was accused by the Tories of making a "total U-turn" when he announced on Tuesday that tens of thousands of criminals would be freed early as part of Government efforts to ease the burgeoning overcrowding crisis in prisons.

Offenders including burglars, drug dealers and conmen serving terms of less than four years will be eligible for release up to 18 days early.

The "emergency measure" was unveiled as the prison population crested 81,000 for the first time, with police and court cells being used to accommodate the "overspill".

Lord Falconer insisted released convicts would still be on licence under the new guidance for jail governors, and serious sexual or violent convicts were not included. Those serving fewer than four weeks will also not be eligible.

The prison population has rocketed from 61,467 in 1997 to 81,016 today, according to Lord Falconer.

Some 25,500 criminals are expected to be freed under the scheme if it runs for a year, cutting the "snapshot" prison population by 1,200.

But opposition politicians and prison support workers lambasted the move as a threat to public safety.

Shadow home secretary David Davis placed the blame squarely on Prime Minister-in-waiting Gordon Brown for failing to fund more jail places, saying: "It is clear from what has been announced that there will be a continuing reliance on police and court cells, meaning the taxpayer will continue to pay through their pay packets."