§ Baroness Anelay of St Johnsasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the statement by the Lord Falconer of Thoroton (The Times, Tuesday 3 December) that it is their intention that the sentencing council should consult Parliament, probably through the Home Affairs Select Committee, what steps they will take to ensure that consultation with Members of the House of Lords also takes place. [HL499]
§ Lord Falconer of ThorotonThe Government are committed to involving Parliament more formally in the process of creating sentencing guidelines than in the past, while leaving the final decision on the content of these guidelines to the proposed Sentencing 125WA Guidelines Council. The enabling legislation will be phrased in a way that allows the Lord Chancellor to designate an appropriate parliamentary body. It is recognised that the House of Lords may well wish to debate draft guidelines and it will be for the House to make its own arangements for doing so.