Oral Answers to Questions

David Nuttall Excerpts

Tuesday 15th February 2011 Commons Chamber

[Mr Blunt]

Let me take this opportunity to convey, again, our commiserations to the family of Adam Rickwood, who died in such sad circumstances. The short answer to the hon. Gentleman’s question is, of course, yes.

[Mr David Nuttall (Bury North) (Con)]

17. What plans he has for the future of sentencing guidelines.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Crispin Blunt)]

Responsibility for the issuing of sentencing guidelines rests not with the Government but with the independent Sentencing Guidelines Council. It is for the council to decide on what matters such guidelines should be prepared for the courts.

[Mr Nuttall]

I thank the Minister for his answer, but I think that many people outside the House will look to it for leadership on the issue of sentencing. Will he give a clear steer to the council that we must never see a repeat of what we saw last month, when a judge was unable to do what he wanted and send a house burglar to prison because of the sentencing guidelines?