§ Miss LestorTo ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to review the sentencing guidelines on incest, particularly those referring to mitigating factors; and what training is given to the judiciary to encourage greater insight into the nature of sexual offences.
Mr. John M. TaylorSentencing guidelines are issued by the Lord Chief Justice in consultation with any other judges as he thinks fit and any review is entirely in his hands. The Judicial Studies Board distributes the guidelines to all judges, recorders and assistant recorders who sit in the Crown court, the most recent issue being in July 1992. One of those guidelines deals with "Incest and Indecent Assault". Lectures and discussions on the nature of sexual offences are included in training courses for judges who sit in the criminal and the civil and family jurisdictions. Medical consultants, child psychiatrists and other professionals lead these training sessions.