§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Government have assessed overseas sentencing guidelines to study the relationship between guidelines and prison capacity. [187246]
§ Paul GogginsIn taking forward its work, the Sentencing Guidelines Council will be looking at experience of sentencing guidelines in other jurisdictions and, amongst other things, their effect on the prison populations.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the functions are of the Sentencing Guidelines Council's research staff. [187247]
§ Paul GogginsThe function of the Sentencing Guidelines Council's research staff is to support the Council's work in framing guidelines that take account of, amongst other things: the need to promote consistency in sentencing; the sentences imposed by courts in England and Wales for offences to which the guidelines relate; and the cost-effectiveness of different sentences in preventing re-offending.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he intends the new guidelines system will help increase public confidence in the criminal justice system. [187248]
§ Paul GogginsThe membership of the Sentencing Guidelines Council encompasses not only sentencers but also representatives who bring experience of policing, criminal prosecution, criminal defence and the promotion of the welfare of victims of crime. The1684WS Council must take account of, amongst other things, the need to promote public confidence in the criminal justice system when framing or revising guidelines, and proposed guidelines will be subject to public consultation before being finalised. The courts must then apply the guidelines in all cases and give any reasons for departing from them when deciding on the sentence to be passed. This is a more collaborative and transparent system, which is open to public scrutiny, and should engender greater public confidence in sentencing practice.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of the effect the new guidelines system will have on sentencing policy. [187249]
§ Paul GogginsSentencing policy will be reflected in the sentencing guidelines. The legislation also provides for the Home Secretary at any time to ask the Council to frame or revise guidelines relating to a general matter affecting sentencing, to a particular category of offender, or to a particular offence.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has(a) to commission research into public attitudes on sentencing guidelines and(b) to develop a sentencing information system to provide judges with data about sentencing in similar cases. [187250]
§ Paul GogginsWe have no current plans to commission research into public attitudes on sentencing guidelines but public consultation forms part of the process in developing guidelines. The Council will be providing sentencing data and analysis to sentencing on a regular basis, including data on sentencing patterns across the country in order to inform discussions at a local level.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the main aims are of the Sentencing Guidelines Council; and what assessment has been made of when these aims will be fulfilled. [187263]
§ Paul GogginsThe Sentencing Guidelines Council is responsible for framing and revising definitive guidelines on all criminal offences, which will enable all courts to approach the sentencing of offenders from a common starting point. It will take some years to produce comprehensive guidelines and the Council will have a continuing remit to revise them as necessary.
§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of the efficiency of the two-stage sentencing guidelines process. [187264]
§ Paul GogginsThe Sentencing Advisory Panel provides advice to assist the Sentencing Guidelines Council in framing and revising sentencing and allocation guidelines. The membership of the Panel is broader than that of the Council, including academics and public representation, and consultation on its advice includes public consultation in addition to 28 statutory consultees. This ensures that the Council's deliberations on framing guidelines are informed by views from all interested parties.