Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme

Thursday 19 March 2026 · 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 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Law Officers' power to refer unduly lenient sentences to the Court of Appeal is a way to ensure justice in serious crimes.
  • Victims and families should always be informed about the unduly lenient sentence scheme, but this does not always occur.
  • Grieving families have 28 days to appeal the sentences of their abusers, a timeframe some find insufficient.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Lorraine Beavers Lab Blackpool North and Fleetwood
Justice & Courts
Context

The MP met with the Solicitor General to discuss issues regarding the unduly lenient sentence scheme, which families feel does not give them adequate time to appeal after a traumatic trial.

Question

What assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the unduly lenient sentence scheme? It is not enough simply to ensure that families are informed of their rights; they should have longer than the current 28 days to use those rights. For families who have been put through traumatic trials, that is just not long enough.

Answer from Ellie Reeves

The Law Officers' power to refer unduly lenient sentences to the Court of Appeal is a powerful way to ensure that justice is achieved in some of the most serious crimes. It gives a voice to victims, their families and the public in the sentencing of cases. Since my appointment as the Solicitor General in September last year, I have received requests to review the sentences imposed on 815 offenders. In the last six months, 30 offenders have had their sentences increased under the scheme.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Solicitor General did not provide specific plans or timelines for ensuring families and victims have every chance to see justice done.

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Q2 Lorraine Beavers Lab Blackpool North and Fleetwood
Justice & Courts
Context

The MP has been advocating for victims of serious crimes, particularly following the tragic loss of a constituent's sister.

Question

Will the Solicitor General update the House on what plans she has to ensure that families and victims have every chance to see justice done? Victims and families should always be informed about the scheme, but I know that that does not always happen, and I know how grief is compounded if an application is then rejected out of time.

Answer from Ellie Reeves

I thank my hon. Friend for attending the unduly lenient sentence scheme victims roundtable on Monday evening. I know what a strong advocate she is for her constituent Katie Brett, whose sister Sasha was brutally murdered. Victims and families should always be informed about the scheme, but I know that that does not always happen, and I know how grief is compounded if an application is then rejected out of time. That is not good enough, and that is why I am working with the Ministry of Justice to find solutions.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Solicitor General did not provide specific details or timelines for the solutions being worked on.

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Q3 Robbie Moore Con Keighley and Ilkley
Justice & Courts
Context

The MP met with the Solicitor General to discuss common-sense approaches to improve the ULS scheme, including extending the 28-day deadline and creating a statutory duty for victims.

Question

May I thank the Solicitor General for our meeting in January to discuss improving the ULS scheme? As I have said before, it cannot be right that grieving families have just 28 days to appeal the sentences of their abusers, while the abusers themselves can extend the deadline. There are common-sense approaches that we can take right now, including extending the 28-day deadline, creating a statutory duty for victims and expanding its scope.

Answer from Ellie Reeves

I welcomed the opportunity to meet with the hon. Gentleman recently to discuss these issues in more detail. May I take this opportunity to pay tribute to Tracey Hanson, who has been a tireless campaigner for victims of serious crime, particularly in relation to unduly lenient sentences, following the tragic loss of her son Josh? Organisations such as the Josh Hanson Trust do vital work in this area.

Not addressed: The Solicitor General did not address whether she agrees with the Victims' Commissioner's backing of extending the 28-day deadline and creating a statutory duty for victims.

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