Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to her Department's publication entitled Number of working-age individuals with a record on the PNC, published on 28 October 2024, what proportion of these records relate to individuals that (a) are convicted, (b) facing pending prosecutions, (c) been issued cautions, (d) involved in cases where no further action was required (e) been arrested but not charged and (f) are deceased.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The information requested is provided in the table attached. This table includes data on the:
Proportion of the records on the Police National Computer (PNC) in each category specified, by offenders of working age.
This analysis looks at the proportion of records that fall into the categories a – d. It does not provide the proportion of individuals as each individual offender may have a record in each category. It is not possible to answer parts (e) and (f), as the Ministry of Justice extract of the PNC does not contain the information required. Arrest information (part e) is a matter for the Home Office.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has provided guidance to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025 on (a) when and (b) how evidence should be collected from third parties.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
This Government has delivered on a manifesto commitment to bring sentencing up to date and ensure the framework is consistent, by launching an Independent Review of Sentencing on 22 October 2024.
The Review will be guided by the Terms of Reference published on 21 October 2024. In developing their recommendations, the independent Chair and panel will consider how to collect and publish evidence.
The Department has not provided guidance, and it will be up to the independent Review, with the expectation that views of a diverse range of stakeholders, including the public, will be important.
The Review has published an eight-week Call for Evidence to gather evidence from all those with an interest, closing early January 2025. The Review is estimated to run for 6 months and should submit its findings in full by Spring 2025. Following the publication of the report, and recommendations, the Government intends to respond to the Review.
The Ministry of Justice has allocated funding for the Independent Sentencing Review; it will be for the Review to consider how it meets its Terms of Reference, including if it wishes to commission primary research.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has provided guidance to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025 on whether it should collect evidence on public opinion on sentencing.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
This Government has delivered on a manifesto commitment to bring sentencing up to date and ensure the framework is consistent, by launching an Independent Review of Sentencing on 22 October 2024.
The Review will be guided by the Terms of Reference published on 21 October 2024. In developing their recommendations, the independent Chair and panel will consider how to collect and publish evidence.
The Department has not provided guidance, and it will be up to the independent Review, with the expectation that views of a diverse range of stakeholders, including the public, will be important.
The Review has published an eight-week Call for Evidence to gather evidence from all those with an interest, closing early January 2025. The Review is estimated to run for 6 months and should submit its findings in full by Spring 2025. Following the publication of the report, and recommendations, the Government intends to respond to the Review.
The Ministry of Justice has allocated funding for the Independent Sentencing Review; it will be for the Review to consider how it meets its Terms of Reference, including if it wishes to commission primary research.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if she will require the Chair of the Independent Sentencing Review to publish the evidence it receives on that review.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
This Government has delivered on a manifesto commitment to bring sentencing up to date and ensure the framework is consistent, by launching an Independent Review of Sentencing on 22 October 2024.
The Review will be guided by the Terms of Reference published on 21 October 2024. In developing their recommendations, the independent Chair and panel will consider how to collect and publish evidence.
The Department has not provided guidance, and it will be up to the independent Review, with the expectation that views of a diverse range of stakeholders, including the public, will be important.
The Review has published an eight-week Call for Evidence to gather evidence from all those with an interest, closing early January 2025. The Review is estimated to run for 6 months and should submit its findings in full by Spring 2025. Following the publication of the report, and recommendations, the Government intends to respond to the Review.
The Ministry of Justice has allocated funding for the Independent Sentencing Review; it will be for the Review to consider how it meets its Terms of Reference, including if it wishes to commission primary research.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has allocated funding for commissioning primary research to the Independent Sentencing Review.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
This Government has delivered on a manifesto commitment to bring sentencing up to date and ensure the framework is consistent, by launching an Independent Review of Sentencing on 22 October 2024.
The Review will be guided by the Terms of Reference published on 21 October 2024. In developing their recommendations, the independent Chair and panel will consider how to collect and publish evidence.
The Department has not provided guidance, and it will be up to the independent Review, with the expectation that views of a diverse range of stakeholders, including the public, will be important.
The Review has published an eight-week Call for Evidence to gather evidence from all those with an interest, closing early January 2025. The Review is estimated to run for 6 months and should submit its findings in full by Spring 2025. Following the publication of the report, and recommendations, the Government intends to respond to the Review.
The Ministry of Justice has allocated funding for the Independent Sentencing Review; it will be for the Review to consider how it meets its Terms of Reference, including if it wishes to commission primary research.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has put in place a policy on (a) disclosure and (b) transparency between the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025 and (i) Ministers and (ii) other members of her Department.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Review will be guided by the Terms of Reference published on 21 October 2024. In developing their recommendations, the independent Chair and panel will consider how to collect evidence and launched a call for evidence on 14 November.
The Department has not provided formal guidance, and it will be up to the independent review, with the expectation that views of a diverse range of stakeholders will be important, including the public and hon. Members.
A memorandum of understanding has been developed to establish and govern the relationship between the Independent Sentencing Review, and the wider Department and Ministers.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has provided guidance to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025 on how members of the public should be able to participate in the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Review will be guided by the Terms of Reference published on 21 October 2024. In developing their recommendations, the independent Chair and panel will consider how to collect evidence and launched a call for evidence on 14 November.
The Department has not provided formal guidance, and it will be up to the independent review, with the expectation that views of a diverse range of stakeholders will be important, including the public and hon. Members.
A memorandum of understanding has been developed to establish and govern the relationship between the Independent Sentencing Review, and the wider Department and Ministers.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether her Department has provided guidance to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025 on how hon. Members should be able to participate in the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Review will be guided by the Terms of Reference published on 21 October 2024. In developing their recommendations, the independent Chair and panel will consider how to collect evidence and launched a call for evidence on 14 November.
The Department has not provided formal guidance, and it will be up to the independent review, with the expectation that views of a diverse range of stakeholders will be important, including the public and hon. Members.
A memorandum of understanding has been developed to establish and govern the relationship between the Independent Sentencing Review, and the wider Department and Ministers.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether (a) victims and (b) the (i) family and (ii) friends of victims of crime will be represented on the expert panel for the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Review will be chaired by the former Lord Chancellor, the Rt Hon David Gauke, supported by a panel which includes expertise drawn from prisons and probation operations, prosecution, academia, law enforcement, victims, and the judiciary.
The process for the appointment of the panel follows the usual public law principles which are applicable to all ministerial decision-making, and within the scope of direct ministerial appointments. Appointments must be rational, procedurally fair, and non-discriminatory.
This Sentencing Review aims to ensure that there is always a place in prison for violent offenders, and victims will always know that justice will be done. It will also aim to ensure that sentences are consistent and make sense to victims and the public. That is why a victims’ representative forms part of the multidisciplinary panel conducting the Review.
Following the launch of the Review on 22 October, appointments were finalised in early and mid-November, and subsequently published on 14 November on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when the expert panel to the Independent Sentencing Review 2024 to 2025 will be (a) appointed and (b) announced.
Answered by Nicholas Dakin - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Review will be chaired by the former Lord Chancellor, the Rt Hon David Gauke, supported by a panel which includes expertise drawn from prisons and probation operations, prosecution, academia, law enforcement, victims, and the judiciary.
The process for the appointment of the panel follows the usual public law principles which are applicable to all ministerial decision-making, and within the scope of direct ministerial appointments. Appointments must be rational, procedurally fair, and non-discriminatory.
This Sentencing Review aims to ensure that there is always a place in prison for violent offenders, and victims will always know that justice will be done. It will also aim to ensure that sentences are consistent and make sense to victims and the public. That is why a victims’ representative forms part of the multidisciplinary panel conducting the Review.
Following the launch of the Review on 22 October, appointments were finalised in early and mid-November, and subsequently published on 14 November on GOV.UK.