Justice Secretary Jack Straw has given an assurance that no more schemes are afoot to let criminals out of jail early.

The Blackburn MP's comments followed controversy last week over further extension of an early-release scheme - and the milestone of 26,000 inmates freed before the end of their sentence under the end of custody licence' (ECL) initiative.

"There is no intention to introduce any more schemes," Mr Straw said in an interview with the Press Association.

"ECL, which gives up to 18 days off a sentence, is a temporary scheme.

"If you ask me when it's going to come to an end, that depends on the availability of prison places and I'm afraid to say not yet' is the answer.

"I understand public concern about it but it's only two and a half weeks off a sentence."

As the number of inmates in England and Wales reaches the record level of 83,000, Mr Straw today launches a campaign to boost public confidence in community sentences.

The Ministry of Justice published a document detailing how non-custodial punishments - such as unpaid work and behaviour programmes - can reduce reoffending.

Asked whether government could ever hope to eradicate public concerns that community sentences are a soft option', Mr Straw admitted: "I doubt it, is the answer.

"Obviously I'm a citizen as well as a minister.

"There is always going to be an argument about what's the approp-riate sentence for a particular crime."

He added: "What's important is that there should be better public understanding about the nature of community sentences, because they can't work if they are seen as a soft option'."

Last year saw the "highest-ever rates of enforcement" in community sentences, he added.

A year after the creation of the Ministry of Justice - which took over prisons and sentencing responsib-ilities from the Home Office, Mr Straw said he did not want the department to absorb any other functions.

"My view is that what the arrangements across Government now need is stability," he said.

"I hope that is achieved."