-
The hon. Member emphasises the importance of addressing the backlog of cases to ensure that victims can access justice more quickly. He supports the Bill's aim to improve court capacity and victim satisfaction.
-
The hon. Member questions whether the Government’s approach is too soft on crime, but acknowledges the need for rehabilitation to reduce reoffending rates. He seeks assurances that offenders will be effectively rehabilitated upon release.
-
The hon. Member criticises the previous government’s privatisation of probation and urges the Minister to provide further details on how the Bill will strengthen and modernise the probation system.
-
Mr Bishop agreed with the Minister's proposal for mandatory whole life sentences for those who murder police, prison or probation officers. He stated that this sends a clear message about the penalties for such crimes.
-
Ms Lockhart raised concerns regarding foreign national offenders being deported and requested a meeting to discuss the issue further with the Minister. She highlighted that in Northern Ireland, these offenders may benefit from additional EU-derived human rights protections.
-
Ms Cox welcomed amendments dealing with IPP sentences but asked for assurances regarding ongoing community rehabilitation while ensuring public safety. She expressed hope that the Government would continue to work on resolving challenges related to such sentences.
-
Lords amendments 2 to 5 concern the relationship between the Lord Chancellor and Sentencing Council. They provide guidelines for scenarios where the Lord Chancellor does not approve the Sentencing Council's business plan or withdraws consent based on maintaining public confidence. The Opposition supports abolishing the Sentencing Council, restoring power to elected Ministers accountable to the public, and giving Parliament a role in sentencing guidelines.
-
Lords amendment 7 proposes requiring Crown court sentencing remarks to be made available within 14 days of request free of charge. This is important for victims’ understanding and confidence that justice has been done, allowing them to consider applications to the unduly lenient sentence scheme. The amendment seeks to ensure all court transcripts are made available more broadly in future.
-
Asked whether the hon. Lady accepts that as a result of the Bill, offenders will only have to serve a third of their sentence instead of half.
-
Replied by stating that repeat tool theft offenders will now face tougher sentencing because of a Labour Government, including tagging on release, strict movement restrictions, robust unpaid work and no-go areas that stop them returning to the places where they targeted working people.
-
Thanked Amanda Martin for her personal work to tackle tool theft which has had a huge impact on tradespeople in his constituency of Harlow. He highlighted the mental health impacts on victims and their families from such crimes.
-
I am pleased that the Bill will deliver long-term and sustainable reform to our criminal justice system. It was a breakdown in law and order like nothing we have seen in modern times, because the last Government increased sentence lengths without reckoning with the consequences of doing so, adding just 500 places during their time in office. That was a dereliction of duty beyond comprehension. While the Bill includes absolutely transformational reforms that Governments of all colours should have introduced in years past, I am proud that it is a Labour Government who are introducing the reform that our justice system has long needed.
-
I want to take this opportunity to thank my predecessor, my hon. Friend the Member for Scunthorpe (Sir Nicholas Dakin). Although I was the Minister to take the Bill through the House, his painstaking work in developing the policy was fundamental and he deserves great credit. We have taken measures to give prison staff further protections. The Conservative position on this amendment seems to have changed a few times, but our amendments ensure that there is a democratic lock around sentencing and that the Sentencing Council remains independent. Our amendments will allow for more openness and transparency in the justice system.
-
I agree with the Minister on the amendments. They strengthen the Bill considerably. They bring more openness and transparency, and we welcome all the recommendations here, whether in relation to the Sentencing Council, to the prison capacity report, to the transcripts through the amendments in lieu, or to IPP prisoners.