§ SIR JOHN SWINBURNE (Staffordshire, Lichfield)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether Her Majesty's Government will grant a Return of Sentences which have been 1397 increased on appeal from one court to a higher court during Her Majesty's reign in the United Kingdom?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. W. H. SMITH,) Strand, WestminsterAppeals in England from the decisions of magistrates to Quarter Sessions are given by Statutes which, it is believed, universally give to the Court of Appeal no power except to reverse or confirm the sentence below, and, therefore, no cases of increase or diminution of sentences can have occurred. The better opinion seems to be that the Summary Jurisdiction Act, 1879, c. 49, Section 31 (5), does not give to the Court of Quarter Sessions the power to increase the sentence. The Return asked for cannot, therefore, be given.
§ SIR J. SWINBURNEAm I to understand that there are no instances in Great Britain of sentences being increased? And will the First Lord of the Treasury be kind enough to grant me a Return showing how many sentences have been increased in Ireland on appeal during Her Majesty's reign?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHThe hon Gentleman asks us to search the Records for a period of over fifty years. That is a very serious undertaking, but if he will put down what he requires, and the information has not been already furnished to the House, I will consider if it can be granted.