Mr. John D. TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to introduce new proposals on sentencing in the courts similar to those announced for England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. [20271]
§ Sir John WheelerMy right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary will shortly publish his proposals for England and Wales in a White Paper. I shall take a close interest in the public response and will be particularly keen to hear what people in Northern Ireland think about these important issues. It is, however, a well-established principle—at the heart of the new impetus we have sought to give in recent years to the development of criminal justice policy—that we have ultimately to develop our own solutions to crime problems in Northern Ireland, in the light of our own circumstances and pressures.