Shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr submitted an urgent question in Holyrood yesterday calling on her to publish all relevant documents as soon as possible, especially as MSPs are expected to vote on the changes as soon as next week.

During her statement this week Ms Constance said she intended to carry out a “short” consultation on the issue ahead of laying legislation at Holyrood but failed to say what any consultation would look like.

The plans would see the automatic early release point for certain prisoners serving sentences of four years and under reduced to 30 per cent.

Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr MSP said any consultation cannot be simply a “tick-box exercise” when the plans would have huge implications for public safety.

He added: “The SNP’s reckless plans to release more prisoners early once again will have serious implications for public safety, yet the SNP’s justice secretary appears determined to railroad them through Holyrood.”

Mr Kerr continued: “It is just common sense that prisoners should serve their sentences in full.

“But the SNP’s abject failure over the last two decades has left our prisons in crisis and will see more dangerous offenders back in our communities in a matter of weeks, and Scots are rightly demanding answers on what this will mean.”