Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Independent Sentencing Review: Interim Report

Tuesday 11 March 2025 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Joe Robertson asked about the implications of the independent sentencing review's interim report on government policies.
  • Joe Robertson questioned the public's confidence in the Government's handling of early prisoner releases and tagging issues.
  • Josh Babarinde inquired if the Justice Secretary would support a set of domestic abuse aggravated offences similar to those in Texas.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Joe Robertson Con Isle of Wight East
Justice & Courts
Context

The independent sentencing review published an interim report on 18 February 2025, prompting concerns about the Government's policies.

Question

What assessment has been made of the potential implications for her policies of the independent sentencing review’s interim report, published on 18 February 2025?

Answer from Shabana Mahmood (Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice)

I will not pre-empt the final report of the sentencing review, but let us remember the crisis that we are dealing with. The previous Government ramped up sentences but added just 500 cells throughout the entire time they were in office. Just today, we have heard examples of Members who do not want any prison building in their areas. This Government will build 14,000 new prison places, but even that will not be enough to get us out of the mess left by the previous Administration. That is why I have asked the independent sentencing review to recommend sentencing policies that will ensure that we never again run out of space.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not directly address the assessment of the interim report's implications on policy, instead focusing on criticisms of previous government and future plans.

How: Criticised Previous Government, Changed Subject To Future Prison Building

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Q2 Joe Robertson Con Isle of Wight East
Justice & Courts
Context

Concerns raised about the public's confidence in the Government’s approach to prison sentences, including early releases and tagging issues.

Question

The Government will consider alternatives to prison and early release, but how are the public to have any confidence whatsoever when the Government released prisoners early and left them to roam the streets for eight weeks before fixing tags?

Answer from Shabana Mahmood (Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice)

As I said in answer to an earlier question, we are holding Serco to account, and we ensured that the tagging backlog from the changes to SDS40—standard determinate sentences—was cleared as quickly as possible. We have levied financial penalties against that company. We continue to monitor performance and will not hesitate to take further action if we need to. Conservative Members have to wake up to the reality of their own track record in government: they failed to build the prison places that we needed to keep up with the sentences that they kept imposing, which has left us with an almighty mess to clear up. We are getting on with the job.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Avoided directly addressing public confidence in early releases and tagging issues, instead focusing on criticism of previous government's track record.

How: Criticised Previous Government, Changed Subject To Past Failures

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Q3 Josh Babarinde Lib Dem Eastbourne
Crime & Law Enforcement Justice & Courts
Context

The independent sentencing review and Justice Secretary have been inspired by Texas' criminal justice system reforms.

Question

The independent sentencing review and the Justice Secretary have been taking inspiration from Texas when it comes to reforming our criminal justice system. She might be aware that Texas has a dedicated set of domestic abuse aggravated offences to help protect and respect survivors. Will she support me and Liberal Democrat colleagues in introducing proposals to the Crime and Policing Bill in order to make similar changes to the law in England and Wales?

Answer from Shabana Mahmood (Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice)

I have not yet seen the hon. Gentleman’s proposals, which may be on their way, but I will look at them carefully. He will know that the picture is complex. Even jurisdictions with a catch-all domestic abuse offence face issues ensuring that it keeps up with the type of behaviour that they are trying to stamp out, and that other offences do not fall off, so there are technical issues in how such law works in practice. I would be happy to have further such conversations with him. I know this matter is of great interest to him and to Members across the House.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to supporting specific changes, instead indicating willingness for further discussion on technical issues.

How: Technical Difficulties, Future Conversations

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