§ Mr. MichaelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when and where he first announced his intention to extend the prosecution right of appeal to cases of child cruelty and indecent assault; and if he will list the occasions on which he has since made a similar announcement(a) to the House, (b) via Home Office press release, statement or communication or (c) otherwise.
§ Mr. MacleanMy right hon. and learned Friend first announced the Government's intention to extend the scope of the Attorney-General's power to refer unduly lenient sentences to the Court of Appeal in a speech at the Conservative party conference on 6 October. Since then, my right hon. and learned Friend has referred to this intention on a number of occasions in response to questions from hon. Members and the public, and in explaining the Government's overall strategy on law and order. On Thursday 13 January this year the Home Office public relations branch issued a press release giving further details of the offences to be covered and the proposed date of implementation, to coincide with the answer my right hon. and learned Friend gave in the House on that day to my hon. Friend the Member for Amber Valley (Mr. Oppenheim).