§ Mr. SpellerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to make a custodial sentence mandatory for those convicted of inflicting bodily harm on police officers.
§ Mr. John PattenThe courts have strong powers to deal with those who harm police officers and the Court of Appeal has made it clear that they should use them. We have conducted a six-month survey of the sentences given for assaults against police officers during the period to December 1991. We will consider whether any action is needed in the light of a careful analysis of the results of the survey and will announce our conclusions.