Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Robert Buckland and Philip Davies

Thursday 2nd February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Philip Davies (Shipley) (Con)]

2. When he plans to extend the scope of the unduly lenient sentence scheme.

[The Solicitor General (Robert Buckland)]

We committed ourselves in our manifesto to extending the scope of the scheme. As a first step, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced that we would extend it to sentences in the Crown court for terrorism offences, and we are working with her to implement that.

[Philip Davies]

I am grateful to my hon. and learned Friend for confirming that our manifesto commitment is still on track, but I should also be grateful if he was a bit more specific about the dates on which we might be able to make some headway, because these reforms are long overdue.

[The Solicitor General]

My hon. Friend is right to press the Government for a commitment to action. Work is being done with the Ministry of Justice, and both the Attorney General and I are committed to ironing out the obvious inconsistencies in the system, which cause understandable frustration among victims and their families.