Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label attachment file name title
tabling member	label

Search

1122633

registered interest
date	24/04/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison Sentences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people since 2016, who have been given a sentence of six months or less, have previously served (a) 20 short sentences of six months or less, (b) 50 short sentences six months or less and (c) 100 short sentences of 6 months or less.
tabling member constituency	North Durham
tabling member printed	Mr Kevan Jones
uin	246959
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2019 answer text <p>For those offenders sentenced to an immediate custodial sentence of six months or less between 1<sup>st</sup> January 2017 and 30<sup>th</sup> September 2018, 339 offenders had 20 previous custodial sentences of six months or less, 20 offenders had 50 previous custodial sentences of six months or less and 1 offender had 100 previous custodial sentences of six months or less.</p><p>There is a strong case to abolish sentences of six months or less, with some exceptions. We are exploring options to restrict the use of short custodial sentences, but we have not at this stage reached any conclusions.</p><p>There is persuasive evidence showing community sentences, in certain circumstances, are more effective than short custodial sentences in reducing reoffending. The MoJ study ‘The impact of short custodial sentences, community orders and suspended sentence orders on re-offending’ published in 2015 involved around 350,000 sentencing occasions over 4 years and used 130 different variables to construct matched groups of offenders and examine the effect of short sentences relative to community sentences. This study found a reduction of around 3 percentage points in proven reoffences if offenders receiving sentences of less than 12 months were to get a community order instead. This is statistically significant and equates to around 30,000 proven reoffences in total over a one-year period. This means fewer victims of crime.</p><p>Unless we tackle the underlying causes of offending, we cannot protect the public from being victims of crime. Effective community orders can address offenders’ behaviour, answer their mental health and alcohol or drug misuse needs, and provide reparation for the benefit of the wider community.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 29/04/2019 16:47:45 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1438 label Biography information for Mr Kevan Jones

1087217

registered interest
date	12/03/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison Sentences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which offences had been committed by (a) male and (b) female offenders sentenced to immediate custody of up to six months who had not received a previous community order in (i) 2015, (ii) 2016 and (iii) 2017.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	231417
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2019 answer text <p>Sentencing is a matter for our independent courts, who take into account all circumstances of the case, including any aggravating and mitigating factors. We are clear that sentencing must match the severity of a crime.</p><p> </p><p>However, sentences should also rehabilitate. There is persuasive evidence showing community sentences, in certain circumstances, are more effective than short custodial sentences in reducing reoffending. The MoJ study ‘The impact of short custodial sentences, community orders and suspended sentence orders on re-offending’ published in 2015 found that over a 1-year follow up period, a higher proportion of people re-offended having been sentenced to custody of under 12 months without supervision on release than other similar people given community orders.</p><p> </p><p>Unless we tackle the underlying causes of offending, we cannot protect the public from being victims of crime. Effective community orders can address offenders’ behaviour, answer their mental health and alcohol or drug misuse needs, and provide reparation for the benefit of the wider community.</p><p> </p><p>The offences which have been committed by (a) male and (b) female offenders sentenced to immediate custody of up to six months who had not received a previous community order, annually from the year ending September 2015, can be viewed in the table.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 19/03/2019 17:22:54 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart attachment 1 file name Copy of 20190314 - PQ231417 - Response Table.xlsx title Table
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1086628

registered interest
date	11/03/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison Sentences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for what main offence each prisoner given a sentence of six months or less was imprisoned in the latest year for which information is available.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	230689
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2019 answer text <p>Sentencing is a matter for our independent courts, who take into account all circumstances of the case, including any aggravating and mitigating factors. We are clear that sentencing must match the severity of a crime.</p><p> </p><p>However, sentences should also rehabilitate. There is persuasive evidence showing community sentences, in certain circumstances, are more effective than short custodial sentences in reducing reoffending. The MoJ study ‘The impact of short custodial sentences, community orders and suspended sentence orders on re-offending’ published in 2015 found that over a 1-year follow up period, a higher proportion of people re-offended having been sentenced to custody of under 12 months without supervision on release than other similar people given community orders.</p><p> </p><p>Unless we tackle the underlying causes of offending, we cannot protect the public from being victims of crime. Effective community orders can address offenders’ behaviour, answer their mental health and alcohol or drug misuse needs, and provide reparation for the benefit of the wider community.</p><p> </p><p>The principal offences for which offenders received a custodial sentence at court of six months or less in 2017 can be found in the table. By far the largest number are for shoplifting. We have listed the offences by the number of persons. We have not reached any conclusions on the restriction for the use of short custodial sentences. But we recognise in any case that such a policy if progressed would need to have some clearly defined exceptions which could exclude some of the offences listed in the attached.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 19/03/2019 17:33:44 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart attachment 1 file name PQ 230689 Table.xlsx title PQ 230689 Table
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1086629

registered interest
date	11/03/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison Sentences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 28 February to Question 223184 on Sentencing, which of the offences listed his Department has classified as so grave that no other penalty but custody will suffice (a) as a single offence, (b) after multiple previous offences and (c) after multiple previous similar offences.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	230690
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2019 answer text <p>Sentencing is a matter for our independent courts, who take into account all circumstances of the case. By law, to impose a custodial sentence, courts are required to be satisfied that the offence committed is so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified.</p><p> </p><p>When deciding what sentence to impose, courts must consider the circumstances of the case, including the culpability of the offender, the harm they caused or intended to cause, and any aggravating and mitigating factors. These factors include whether the offender has previous convictions and whether an early guilty plea was entered, as well as the particular aggravating and mitigating factors present in each case.</p><p> </p><p>We are exploring options to restrict the use of short custodial sentences, but we have not at this stage reached any conclusions. We recognise there may need to be some closely defined exceptions and have not ruled anything in or out.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 19/03/2019 17:14:15 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1086630

registered interest
date	11/03/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison Sentences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his policy is on the effect on the sentencing decision of an offender's previous (a) convictions and (b) community orders under his proposals for a presumption against short-term prison sentences.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	230691
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2019 answer text <p>We are considering options to restrict the use of short custodial sentences, including looking at a presumption, but we have not at this stage reached any conclusions.</p><p> </p><p>Sentencing is a matter for our independent courts, who take into account all circumstances of the case. By law, to impose a custodial sentence, courts are required to be satisfied that the offence committed is so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified.</p><p> </p><p>When deciding what sentence to impose, courts must consider the circumstances of the case, including the culpability of the offender, the harm they caused or intended to cause, and any aggravating and mitigating factors. These factors include whether the offender has previous convictions and whether an early guilty plea was entered, as well as the particular aggravating and mitigating factors present in each case.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 19/03/2019 16:53:04 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1086631

registered interest
date	11/03/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison Sentences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of removing the option of custody for some offences on the (a) level of compliance with community orders and (b) use of suspended sentences.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	230692
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2019 answer text <p>We are considering options to restrict the use of short custodial sentences, including looking at their wider effects, but we have not at this stage reached any conclusions.</p><p> </p><p>There is persuasive evidence showing community sentences, in certain circumstances, are more effective than short custodial sentences in reducing reoffending. The MoJ study ‘The impact of short custodial sentences, community orders and suspended sentence orders on re-offending’ published in 2015 found that over a 1-year follow up period, a higher proportion of people re-offended having been sentenced to custody of under 12 months without supervision on release than other similar people given community orders.</p><p> </p><p>Unless we tackle the underlying causes of offending, we cannot protect the public from being victims of crime. Effective community orders can address offenders’ behaviour, answer their mental health and alcohol or drug misuse needs, and provide reparation for the benefit of the wider community.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 19/03/2019 17:02:43 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1086639

registered interest
date	11/03/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison Sentences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the highest number of total previous offences a (a) male and (b) female offender committed before being given an immediate custodial sentence in each of the last five years.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	230697
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/03/2019 answer text <p>Sentencing is a matter for our independent courts, who take into account all circumstances of the case, including any aggravating and mitigating factors. We are clear that sentencing must match the severity of a crime.</p><p> </p><p>However, sentences should also rehabilitate. There is persuasive evidence showing community sentences, in certain circumstances, are more effective than short custodial sentences in reducing reoffending. The MoJ study ‘The impact of short custodial sentences, community orders and suspended sentence orders on re-offending’ published in 2015 found that over a 1-year follow up period, a higher proportion of people re-offended having been sentenced to custody of under 12 months without supervision on release than other similar people given community orders.</p><p> </p><p>Unless we tackle the underlying causes of offending, we cannot protect the public from being victims of crime. Effective community orders can address offenders’ behaviour, answer their mental health and alcohol or drug misuse needs, and provide reparation for the benefit of the wider community.</p><p> </p><p>Data on the highest number of previous offences committed by an offender who received their first immediate custodial sentence can be viewed in the table. This information is broken down by males and females, and covers the period year ending September 2014 – year ending September 2018.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 19/03/2019 17:29:29 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart attachment 1 file name PQ 230697 Response Table.xlsx title Table for PQ 230697
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies

1083535

registered interest
date	07/03/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison Sentences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many (a) men and (b) women have (i) been imprisoned for less than six months and (ii) been imprisoned for less than six months and reoffended within a year of release in each year since 2015.
tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
uin	229726
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2019 answer text <p>The number of men and women that have been sentenced to up to six months custody in each year since 2015 has been published up to December 2017 and can be found in the ‘Outcomes by offence data tool’, available at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/733981/outcomes-by-offence-tool-2017-update.xlsx" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/733981/outcomes-by-offence-tool-2017-update.xlsx</a></p><p> </p><p>Select ‘Sex’ and drag into the Columns filter. The number of men and women imprisoned for less than six months can be found by combining the relevant custodial sentence lengths (rows 56 to 59).</p><p> </p><p>The one year reoffending rates for prisoners released from sentences of less than six months will be published in the next quarterly proven reoffending bulletin on the 25th April.</p><p> </p><p>There is persuasive evidence showing community sentences, in certain circumstances, are more effective than short custodial sentences in reducing reoffending. The MoJ study ‘The impact of short custodial sentences, community orders and suspended sentence orders on re-offending’ published in 2015 found that over a 1-year follow up period, a higher proportion of people re-offended having been sentenced to custody of under 12 months without supervision on release than other similar people given community orders.</p><p> </p><p>Unless we tackle the underlying causes of offending, we cannot protect the public from being victims of crime. Effective community orders can address offenders’ behaviour, answer their mental health and alcohol or drug misuse needs, and provide reparation for the benefit of the wider community.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 12/03/2019 17:35:08 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1083536

registered interest
date	07/03/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison Sentences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a presumption against the use of custodial sentences of less than six months for non-violent crimes; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Dulwich and West Norwood
tabling member printed	Helen Hayes
uin	229727
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2019 answer text <p>There is persuasive evidence showing that short custodial sentences do not work in terms of rehabilitation and helping some offenders turn their backs on crime. Community sentences, in certain circumstances, are more effective in reducing reoffending, and therefore keeping the public safe. Unless we tackle the underlying causes of offending, we cannot protect the public from being victims of crime.</p><p> </p><p>There is therefore a case to abolish sentences of six months or less, with some exceptions. We are currently exploring options, including looking at the introduction of a presumption. At this stage we have not reached any conclusions.</p><p> </p><p>However, we must ensure the public and judiciary have confidence in effective community orders, including those which address offenders’ behaviour, answer their mental health and alcohol or drug misuse needs, or provide reparation for the benefit of the wider community.</p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart question first answered 12/03/2019 17:32:57 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	4510 label Biography information for Helen Hayes

1077736

registered interest
date	26/02/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison Sentences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what is the shortest amount of time that must be served in prison by an offender who is sentenced to (a) four weeks, (b) three months, (c) six months and (d) 12 months imprisonment.
tabling member constituency	Shipley
tabling member printed	Philip Davies
uin	226076
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/03/2019 answer text <p>Prisoners sentenced to a standard determinate custodial sentence must be released automatically at the halfway point of their sentence. Those sentenced to at least 12 weeks but less than four years may be released on Home Detention Curfew (HDC) up to 135 days before the halfway point, depending on sentence length. They must meet strict eligibility criteria and pass a risk assessment, and will be liable to recall to prison if they fail to comply with strict electronic monitoring and other conditions attached to their release.</p><p> </p><p>Prisoners must serve at least one quarter of their sentence in custody (subject to a minimum of 28 days) before they can be released on HDC. Any relevant time spent on remand in custody or on bail subject to electronic monitoring (&quot;tagged bail&quot;) may count as time served towards the sentence but an offender must serve at least 14 days after the sentence is imposed before release on HDC.</p><p> </p><p>Table A below indicates the minimum period that must be served in prison before an eligible prisoner can be released on HDC, depending on the sentence passed by the court. In an individual case, this period would be reduced by any relevant “tagged bail” time directed to count by the court.</p><p> </p><p>Table A</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><em>Total sentence length</em></p></td><td><p><em>Minimum period in prison</em></p></td><td><p><em>Maximum period on HDC</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>4 weeks</p></td><td><p>2 weeks</p></td><td><p>0</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>3 months</p></td><td><p>4 weeks</p></td><td><p>2 weeks</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>6 months</p></td><td><p>6 weeks</p></td><td><p>6 weeks</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>12 months</p></td><td><p>3 months</p></td><td><p>3 months</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Table B below shows the average amount of time served in prison by offenders sentenced to (a) four weeks, (b) three months, (c) six months and (d) 12 months imprisonment in 2017.</p><p>Table B</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><em>Sentence length</em></p></td><td><p><em>Median average period in prison</em></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>4 weeks</p></td><td><p>0.43 months</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>3 months</p></td><td><p>1.48 months</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>6 months</p></td><td><p>2.96 months</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>12 months</p></td><td><p>5.98 months</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><em>The figures in this table have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.</em></p> answering member constituency Penrith and The Border answering member printed Rory Stewart grouped question UIN 226077 question first answered 06/03/2019 17:45:50 answering member 4137 label Biography information for Rory Stewart
tabling member	1565 label Biography information for Sir Philip Davies