Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Immigration Offences: Sentencing

Tuesday 3 June 2025 · 2 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 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Justice Secretary is working with Home Department to address immigration issues
  • Government criticizes previous government for the "mess" left regarding immigration
  • Justice Secretary intends to review the powers of the Sentencing Council

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 David Simmonds Con Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
Immigration Justice & Courts
Context

Criminal gangs are imposing a significant cost on Hillingdon, which has the highest level of asylum seekers per capita among local authorities. The council supports asylum seekers who have been smuggled into the UK.

Question

What plans does the Justice Secretary have to ensure that we have tougher sentences that are fit for purpose so our communities do not face this burden in the future?

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

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that I and colleagues in the Justice Department are working closely with our colleagues in the Home Department to make sure that we have a joined-up approach to tackling the issues he has raised. He knows that asylum is primarily a policy issue for the Home Secretary, and I will make sure that she and her team are made aware of the specific problems in Hillingdon that he has raised today.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Justice Secretary did not provide plans or specifics on tougher sentencing guidelines but promised to work with the Home Department.

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Q2 Robert Jenrick Reform Newark
Immigration Migrants & Borders Justice & Courts
Context

The Sentencing Council has published new sentencing guidelines that the opposition claims water down sentences passed by Parliament, potentially allowing hundreds of illegal migrants to avoid automatic deportation.

Question

For the first time, the Sentencing Council has published immigration sentencing guidelines. They water down sentences passed by Parliament which means that hundreds of illegal migrants every year will avoid the threshold for automatic deportation. Has the Justice Secretary lost control of her Department once again, or is it the case that this Government have simply “lost control” of our borders?

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

No; what this Government are doing is cleaning up the almighty mess left to us by the previous Government, of which the right hon. Gentleman was a member. He knows full well that I have already signalled an intention to review the powers of the Sentencing Council. We have an upcoming sentencing Bill, and I will take the action that he and his Government never did in 14 long years.

Not addressed: The Justice Secretary redirected blame onto the previous government instead of addressing current issues with the guidelines or department control.

How: Redirecting Blame

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