Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, pursuant to the Answer of 24 October 2019 to Question 1073 on Prison sentences: Hampshire, whether he plans to extend the scope of the unduly lenient sentence scheme to ensure fewer custodial cases fall outside of its remit.
Answered by Michael Ellis
On 29 October 2019 the Government added 14 new offences to the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme. This latest extension to the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme means that perpetrators of some of the most heinous crimes such as sex offences against children and vulnerable adults and controlling and coercive behaviour could have their sentences increased, bringing some comfort to victims and their families.
We will continue to monitor the scheme to consider any further extensions.
Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what proportion of requests to his Department in relation to a custodial sentence from people in Hampshire fall outside of the unduly lenient sentence scheme.
Answered by Michael Ellis
In 2018, of the 20 requests that were received for sentences handed down in Winchester, Portsmouth and Southampton Crown Court, 9 fell out of the remit of the scheme. Therefore 45% fell outside the scheme.
In 2019, to date, of the 16 requests that were received for the sentences handed down in Winchester and Southampton Crown Court, 6 fell out of the remit of the scheme. Therefore 38% fell outside the scheme.
Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, if he will extend the unduly lenient sentence scheme to cover (a) all serious crime cases and (b) cases tried at magistrates' courts.
Answered by Geoffrey Cox
The ULS scheme remains an important avenue for victims, family members and the public to ensure justice is delivered in the most serious cases.
Since its inception in 1989, the ULS scheme has been extended to include additional offences, including some sexual offences, and offences involving child cruelty and modern slavery. In 2017 the Government re-committed in our manifesto to look at further extension and, as a result, the scheme was extended in 2017, and again in 2018, to include a number of terror-related offences.
We continue to look carefully at the ambit of the scheme.
Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the application of the rule of law to cyber activities.
Answered by Geoffrey Cox
I regularly meet ministerial colleagues to discuss important issues of common interest, including on matters relating to the rule of law. As my predecessor set out in his speech at Chatham House in May 2018, the UK has been clear that we consider cyber space to be an integral part of the rules based international order that we are proud to promote.
Cyber space is not a lawless world. It is the Government’s view that there are boundaries of acceptable state behaviour in cyber space, just as there are everywhere else. Hostile actors cannot take action by cyber means without consequence.