§ Baroness Davidasked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have to review unduly lenient sentences for racially and religiously aggravated crime. [HL4428]
§ Baroness Scotland of AsthalI am pleased to announce that we are today laying an order before Parliament which will extend the Attorney-General's powers in relation to unduly lenient sentences. This will enable certain racially and religiously aggravated offences to be referred to the Court of Appeal for review where it is felt that under-sentencing has occurred. The order will come into effect on 13 October 2003 and will apply to any sentence imposed after that date.
This order is being laid following a recommendation in the HM Crown Prosecution Service's inspectorate Review of Casework Having a Minority Ethnic Dimension, that racially aggravated offences be included in the category of offences which can be referred under the unduly lenient sentencing provisions. The inclusion of religiously aggravated offences is necessary and logical, to prevent anomalies in the protection offered to different groups. The Government will keep under review whether any further extensions should be made in future.