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The MP proposed new clauses to address various aspects of the Sentencing Bill, including assessments for parenting orders and financial orders, re-sentencing IPP prisoners, directing funds from income reduction orders into victim support, setting maximum caseloads for probation officers, ensuring access to rehabilitation services, implementing a digital sentence management system, establishing specialist probation teams, treating domestic abuse offences as aggravated, creating mandatory rehabilitative programmes for certain offences against women and girls, screening for traumatic brain injuries, suspending driving licences during bail for driving-related offences, providing access to rehabilitation programmes and support for remand individuals, lifting reporting restrictions for serious crime cases involving young offenders.
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Mr. Smith argued that the proposed amendments would enhance public safety by addressing capacity issues in the Probation Service, requiring risk assessments for foreign criminals prior to deportation, and ensuring dependents of offenders are supported financially.
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Ms. Jones highlighted that devolving probation services to Wales could improve local management efficiency while stressing the need for robust risk assessments before deporting foreign criminals convicted of stalking.
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Proposes a new clause creating statutory aggravating factors for sentencing in cases of causing death or serious injury by dangerous, careless or inconsiderate driving. Emphasises the need to hold individuals accountable who fail to stop, call emergency services or administer first aid.
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Supports new clause 36 for earned progression for prisoner release, stating that it ensures prisoners comply with rules and engage in activities during their sentence before being eligible for early release. Highlights the importance of rehabilitation.
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Opposes new clause 38 which would apply an automatic deportation order to foreign criminals sentenced to at least six months’ imprisonment or a community sentence, citing concerns about fairness and human rights violations. Argues that such measures undermine the rule of law.
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Proposes new clause 40 to amend the Criminal Justice Act 1988, introducing a public petition process for citizens to refer unduly lenient or harsh sentences to the Court of Appeal through the Criminal Cases Review Commission. Highlights that this would improve transparency and fairness in sentencing.
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Supports new clause 41, arguing for the publication of statistics on offenders' birthplace, nationality, ethnicity, and immigration status to ensure transparency and accountability in sentencing decisions. Emphasises the importance of data-driven policy making.
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Proposed amendments aimed at ensuring the Criminal Justice Act incorporates safeguarding measures for victims, such as protection from further physical or psychological harm. Emphasised the importance of protecting vulnerable individuals and preventing repeat victimisation.
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Discussed the need to remove certain clauses in the Act that may undermine community safety, focusing on the removal of provisions relating to driving prohibitions and restriction zones. Cited local cases where such conditions have hindered ex-offenders' ability to reintegrate into society.
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Supported amendments that would mandate electronic monitoring for suspended sentences, arguing it enhances public safety and ensures compliance with court orders. Cited statistics showing higher reoffending rates among those not subject to such measures.
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Defended the government's proposed sentencing reforms, highlighting that they aim to balance rehabilitation and punishment effectively. Noted concerns about potential amendments affecting community safety but emphasised the need for a careful evaluation of their impacts.
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Supports Mr Bedford's proposal on removing anonymity for young offenders who commit serious crimes, suggesting it aligns with lowering the voting age.
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Raises concerns about potential privatisation of community service and unpaid work, referencing a previous failure with Serco in London. Asks for assurance that private sector profiteering will not occur under new measures.
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Supports John McDonnell's stance on community service, emphasising the importance of rehabilitation and prevention of reoffending as goals for community sentencing.
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Requests a response from the Minister regarding new clauses related to probation capacity and devolution of services to Wales, highlighting lack of feedback in Committee.
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The Member argues against early release measures for serious violent offenders and emphasises that victims' families are concerned about these changes. He provides specific examples of individuals convicted of offences such as rape, sexual grooming, causing death by dangerous driving, stalking, and child sexual activity who will benefit from reduced sentences under the Bill.
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The Member outlines a case involving Lenny Scott, a former prison officer murdered by Elias Morgan. He explains that Parliament legislated to impose whole life orders for such murders but the court did not apply this measure in Mr Scott’s case due to ambiguity in current law.
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The Member supports new clause 20, which aims to establish notification and offender management requirements for those convicted of child cruelty offences, creating a system similar to the sex offenders register. He argues that this measure would help protect children from abuse and neglect.
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Farnsworth proposes new clause 36 to implement positive actions and purposeful activity, such as education classes and drug rehabilitation, as conditions for release at one-third of a sentence. She argues that incentivising rehabilitation will reduce reoffending rates and alleviate prison capacity issues.
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Cox agrees with Farnsworth's proposal to offer clear incentives for earned release, emphasising the need for positive requirements such as drug rehabilitation and education classes to reduce reoffending rates and enhance public protection.
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Slaughter supports Farnsworth’s proposal, stressing that structured rehabilitation during custody prepares individuals for life after release and reduces pressure on the Probation Service. He highlights the importance of incentivising engagement in well-resourced purposeful activity to reduce reoffending rates.
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The justice system is failing with high rates of prison overcrowding and reoffending among short-term prisoners. The Bill needs scrutiny, and Liberal Democrats have tabled amendments to improve it, such as financial penalties for offenders and measures to reduce reoffending through rehabilitation.
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Supports the Sentencing Bill which aims to protect victims and deliver justice. Highlights new clauses 8 and 31 on domestic abuse protections, and praises the Government's prison expansion plans and measures for continuous victim protection. Emphasises the need for tougher community sentences and proper rehabilitation.
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Supports new clause 20, which would introduce a child cruelty register. Cites the case of Tony Hudgell to illustrate the need for such a register, highlighting that after release from prison, perpetrators can continue to pose risks to children without any form of monitoring or management. Emphasises the importance of managing and eradicating risk when offenders are released.
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Supports new clause 36, which would require offenders to comply with an earned progression scheme before being subject to release. Argues that this approach will enhance the Government’s ambitions for the Bill and address issues related to early releases of offenders who fail to receive necessary rehabilitation.
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The right hon. Lady spoke against the presumption in favour of suspended sentences for foreign and sex offenders, proposing amendments to ensure serious offenders are given prison terms rather than lenient sentencing.
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The hon. Gentleman argued that cuts to prison funding by the previous Conservative Government have impacted the ability of any government to imprison dangerous individuals effectively, challenging the current proposals' practicality.
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Welcomes new clause 11 on suspending driving licences during bail for driving-related offences, echoing support for tagging measures against domestic abuse. He highlights new clause 35 ('Ryan's law') in response to a tragic hit-and-run case where the driver received only a suspended sentence despite leaving Ryan Saltern, a father of one, to die after hitting him.
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Draws attention to another local case involving a death caused by a distracted driver who did not receive prison time. Supports the necessity of new clause 35 to ensure individuals involved in hit-and-run cases face appropriate penalties.
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Highlights inconsistencies between government promises and actions, particularly concerning sentencing guidelines. Argues against Labour's inconsistency in voting on new clauses and criticises outsourcing of public policy decisions to quangos.
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Disagrees with Steve Barclay regarding Labour’s stance on naming serious offenders under the age of 18. Suggests that change should be positive, not negative.
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Proposes new clause to remove cap on sitting days in Crown courts, arguing it is leading to a backlog of cases and delaying justice for victims. Cites data showing the current system is inadequate.
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Discussed the impact of the Sentencing Bill on criminal justice and prison capacity, emphasising the importance of addressing delays in court proceedings to prevent a crisis. Criticised the government for not attaching a money motion to remove the cap on legal aid spending, which undermines judicial efficiency.
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Highlighted that parts of the Bill do not apply to Northern Ireland due to EU law and the Windsor framework. Questioned whether the deportation of foreign criminals would be subject to EU rights protections in Northern Ireland, leading to inconsistencies compared to Great Britain.
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Thanked contributors and emphasised that the Government is committed to building new prisons and reforming sentencing to ensure sustainability. Criticised the previous Conservative government for leaving a prison capacity crisis, calling it their last shameful act before calling an election.
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Welcomed the Sentencing Bill but questioned how intensive supervision courts would contribute to preventing future crime. Asked for clarification on the role of these courts in making communities safer.
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Raises concern about the lack of monitoring of offenders after their sentences end. Tributes to Paula Hudgell, a constituent who campaigned for a child abuse register.
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Supports calls for a child protection register, citing the tragic case of Maya. Asks about steps being taken to follow up on this issue.
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Critiques the government's stance on amending legislation now to address child abuse issues, despite agreeing on the problem and solution previously.
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Asked about the measures in the Bill that will help tackle domestic abuse. She noted the importance of the domestic abuse identifier to track cases through the criminal justice system and safeguarding agencies.
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Emphasised that judges retain discretion over sentences, especially for serious offences like those against emergency workers. He also mentioned that research shows short-term sentences lead to more reoffending compared to community sentences or suspended sentences.
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Asked the Minister if he would confirm that offenders who commit serious offences against emergency workers will still face prison time, despite the Bill's provisions on short-term sentences.
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Questioned whether letting people out of prison automatically under the new legislation is an appropriate measure and urged for steps to prevent this from happening.
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The Minister acknowledged the need to review driving bans and promised to consult road safety charities. He addressed concerns about recall measures, emphasising the balance between recognising risks and ensuring a sustainable system. The Minister also discussed legal aid provision and Crown court delays. He emphasised the Government's commitment to stabilise the prison system by building more prison places and increasing deportation of foreign national offenders.
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Asked about legal aid provision, highlighting its importance and the need for the Government to address it despite financial constraints.
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Responded affirmatively to Ben Maguire's query regarding legal aid provision, underscoring its significance while acknowledging financial constraints. The Minister detailed Labour’s efforts in prison reform and criticised the previous Conservative government for leaving prisons on the brink of collapse.
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Supported the Minister's stance, referring to his father’s experience as a retired senior prison officer. He emphasised the need for urgent reforms and praised Labour’s plans to build new prisons.
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Challenged the Minister's claims, pointing out that the Conservative government authorised many of the prison places mentioned. He questioned whether the current Labour Government would deliver their promised 14,000 prison places.
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Rebutted Ben Obese-Jecty's challenge, highlighting that while Conservatives authorised some prison places near the end of their term, they failed to deliver significant progress in 14 years. Minister stressed Labour’s achievement in building more prisons than any government since Victorian times.
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Raises a point of order regarding inaccuracies in the amendment paper, stating she did not support certain amendments listed incorrectly.
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Critiques the Sentencing Bill for potentially releasing more than 80% of paedophiles and over 60% of rapists earlier than their full sentences. Argues that victims will face a betrayal when offenders are released early.